Cholera, caused by infection with toxigenic Vibrio cholerae bacteria of serogroup O1 (>99% of global cases) or O139, is characterized by watery diarrhea that can be severe and rapidly fatal without prompt rehydration. Cholera is endemic in approximately 60 countries and causes epidemics as well. Globally, cholera results in an estimated 2.9 million cases of disease and 95,000 deaths annually (1...

Monitoring vaccine safety is a complex and shared responsibility. It can be carried out in many ways, one of which is the reporting of individual cases of adverse reactions thought to be due to vaccination. The task is difficult because ascribing causality to an individual case report is fraught with challenges. A standardized evaluation instrument--known as the causality assessment form--was t...

This document reflects emerging clinical and scientific advances on the date issued, and is subject to change. The information should not be construed as dictating an exclusive course of treatment or procedure to be followed. Local institutions can dictate amendments to these opinions. They should be well documented if modified at the local level. None of these contents may be reproduced in any...

As the preceding articles indicate, school-located vaccination (SLV) shows great promise as a method to quickly and efficiently vaccinate large numbers of school-aged children against influenza. This approach can both relieve health care providers who lack sufficient capacity to effectively vaccinate their patients annually, in accordancewith the 2008 recommendations of Advisory Committee on Im...

The US system for immunizing children involves a complex mixture of privateand public-sector roles and responsibilities. By most measures, the immunization programhasbeen successful, having introducedanumber of new vaccines and expanded the use of existing vaccines during this decade, so that the current immunization schedule protects infants, children, and adolescents from 16 infectious diseases.

Disclaimer: This research paper does not necessarily reflect the policy position of the Commonwealth Government. Adam Graycar Director Bullying in schools has become an issue of major importance among educators. However, interventions to reduce bullying have enjoyed only modest and limited success. This paper examines five different explanations for bullying. These emphasise, respectively: 1. d...

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) provides advice and guidance regarding effective control of vaccine-preventable diseases, including guidance for special populations that might warrant modification of routine recommendations. One such special population is pregnant and breastfeeding women. Formulation of recommendations for vaccination of pregnant and breastfeeding women ...

We estimated the effectiveness of postexposure smallpox vaccination in preventing or modifying disease in naive and previously vaccinated adults, using the formal Delphi technique. For persons not previously vaccinated, the median effectiveness in preventing disease with vaccination at 0-6 h, 6-24 h, and 1-3 days after exposure was estimated as 93%, 90%, and 80%, respectively, and effectiveness...

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) consists of 15 experts in immunization and related fields, selected by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to provide advice and guidance on control of vaccine-preventable diseases. In its role as a federal advisory committee, the ACIP develops written recommendations, subject to approval of the Director of t...