| COMMENTARY by the Medical Editors |
| Of MCV4, ADHD and ECGs |
June 2008: Recent guidelines reinforce the need to do thorough evaluations of our patients. |
| The school listserv – another source of vaccine information, or misinformation |
May 2008: Remaining aware of the information and misinformation on the internet about different vaccines is important to guiding patients. |
| Be mindful of influenza, even in the spring |
April 2008: Since influenza reaches different places at different times, one may want to continue to immunize in some locales into early spring. |
| Fictional show enters autism-vaccine area |
March 2008: Eli Stone’s pilot failed to present mountains of evidence exonerating thimerosal. |
| There may be a sweet alternative to OTC cough preparations |
January 2008 |
| Chief medical editor reflects on 2007 |
December 2007: Increase in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, new vaccine indications topped our editorial board’s picks for top stories of 2007. |
| Immunization is the best defense against influenza |
November 2007: It is important to include yourself and your office staff among those to be protected. |
| Etiologic agents changing in skeletal infections |
October 2007 |
| Hepatitis A routine childhood immunization recommendations published |
August 2007: The recommendations are for universal immunization of all children starting at age 12 months. |
| Circumcision again? No, once is enough |
July 2007: Physicians should be informed about the risks and benefits of circumcision. |
| Pneumonia treatment considerations have changed over the years |
June 2007: Seasonal and epidemiologic factors should be taken into account for when treating patients. |
| AAP updated recommendations on varicella vaccine forthcoming |
May 2007: New suggestions for varicella vaccine aimed at decreasing the number of outbreaks in schools. |
| Direct marketing of vaccines to state legislators raises questions |
April 2007: Some people believe that mandates represent an infringement on their rights. |
| Despite community benefit, vaccines have taken a toll on physicians |
February 2007: As the costs of vaccines continue to rise, some physicians question whether they can continue to immunize their patients. |
| A look back at the past two decades |
January 2007: In reflecting back, it is important to note that some of the most important things are those that did not happen. |
|
A look back at the year 2006 |
December 2006: This has been an exciting year for infectious disease. Let’s hope an influenza epidemic does not make 2007 even more exciting. |
| Updated recommendations caution about use of systemic fluoroquinolones |
November 2006 |
| Influenza epidemics: Be prepared
for any influenza eventuality this season |
September 2006:
Children should have the first of a two-dose influenza vaccine as early as
October in order to be protected for the entire flu season. |
| Rotavirus vaccine: Is it worth
doing? |
August 2006: Although
the vaccine has proved effective, the cost is an issue for parents, physicians
and developing countries. |
| New hepatitis recommendations
issued |
July 2006: Seventy
percent of HAV cases in children younger than 7 are subclinical, yet they are
quite capable of infecting others. |
| Mumps outbreak 2006: Evaluating
vaccine efficacy complicated by disease’s characteristics |
June 2006: The
predominance of cases in 18- to 22-year-olds suggests that there might be
waning vaccine immunity, but that may not be the whole picture. |
| Another anti-cancer vaccine is on
the horizon |
May 2006: Studies show
that the interruption of an intermediate-stage CIN strongly suggests that the
HPV vaccine will interrupt progression to cancer. |
| An update on varicella
immunization |
April 2006: Although
there is no recommendation for a routine second dose of varicella vaccine,
there is clearly movement in this direction. |
| Bronchiolitis rates increase,
treatment has changed little over the last few decades |
February 2006: Part of
the increase in bronchiolitis probably is due to the survival of more and more
low- and extremely low-birth weight infants who seem to be particularly prone
to bronchiolitis. |
| Winter vomiting disease,
1929-2006 |
January 2006: We are
now entering an era where prevention, through vaccination, is possible. |
| A review of 2005, and a look
ahead at what’s in store for 2006 |
December 2005: Newly
approved vaccines, and the threat of pandemic flu topped our headlines this
year. |
| Recommendations for the coming
influenza season |
November 2005: The
prospects of having an adequate influenza vaccine supply appear better this
year. |
| A back to school immunization
primer for teens |
September 2005: Back to
school visits are a good time to catch students/parents up on vaccines. |
| Looking back on the varicella
zoster vaccine |
August 2005: There has
been a marked decrease in cases of varicella since the advent of the vaccine
program. |
| To treat conjunctivitis,
understand how it is spread |
July 2005: Keeping
children out when the chances of spreading even a highly epidemic strain is
less than one in three should make us stop and think. |
| Building a better pertussis
vaccine |
June 2005: Our Chief
Medical Editor answers a letter to the editor from James D. Cherry, MD,
MSc. |
| The adolescents are
coming! |
May 2005: Visits for
adolescent immunizations will provide opportunities for anticipatory guidance,
similar to the well child visit. |
| Human coronavirus: cause and
effect? |
April 2005: These
studies and discussion confirm that with modern molecular technology, the age
of discovery in virology is alive and well. |
| Pertussis vaccine for
adolescents? |
February 2005: The
benefits an adolescent booster program would provide are debatable. |
| Assuring immunization of our
children |
January 2005: The
barriers to childhood immunization are complex; simple solutions are not
likely. |
| 2004: a look back |
December 2004:
Publication of the AOM/OME guidelines was a highlight of 2004; meanwhile,
the lackluster vaccine supply system hit a low point. |
| 2004-2005 already shaping up to
be busy influenza year for pediatricians |
November 2004: This
season, we will learn how limited vaccine use will affect influenza
mortality. |
| A call to arms for docs: super
bugs, no drugs |
October 2004: How many
of you have had to deal with MRSA, VRE or other resistant infections in the
past year? |
| The malpractice mess |
September 2004: One
suggested solution: preliminary hearings to weed out frivolous lawsuits. |
| OM with tubes: consensus
statement needed |
August 2004:
Pediatricians need to know how to handle AOM in children who have tubes
from a previous bout. |
| Experts debate GAS
treatment |
July 2004: In the
debate over first-line treatment of GAS pharyngitis, it should be remembered
that preventing rheumatic fever is the top priority. |
| AAP reviews common issues: AOM,
OME |
June 2004: These
related topics are presented in separate reports, as the issues are quite
distinct, although the two clearly are related. |
| More on measles and the impact of
the Lancet retraction |
May 2004: Some of the
main issues of the Lancet retraction are selection bias and
ethics. |
| Urinary tract
infections |
April 2004: Labeling a
child as having a UTI on the basis of improper criteria is a disservice to the
patient. |
| West Nile virus: 2004
season |
March 2004: What should
we expect this summer? |
| Be prepared to recognize and
treat anaphylaxis |
February 2004 |
| Influenza 2004 |
January 2004: Early
outbreaks, deaths in children, not enough vaccine — this is shaping up to
be an interesting flu season. |
| Bioterrorism cannot be
ignored |
November 2003: What are
the special responsibilities of the pediatrician in dealing with
bioterrorism? |
| Environmental tobacco smoke an
avoidable environmental pollutant |
October 2003: The
relationship between second-hand smoke exposure and childhood upper respiratory
tract infections, including acute and chronic otitis media, has been
demonstrated in multiple studies. |
| The Recall |
September 2003: The
start of the school year is a good time for catch-up immunizations. |
| Approaching respiratory season
promises to be interesting |
August 2003: There are
new Red Book recommendations for passive immunization against RSV
and a new intranasal influenza vaccine. |
| Monkey(pox) business |
July 2003: Before the
current outbreak, monkeypox did not exist in the Western Hemisphere. |
| Pneumococcal vaccine
update |
June 2003: Declines in
disease across varied age groups raise some interesting questions. |
| SARS: where are the pediatric
cases? |
May 2003: Respiratory
illnesses are common in children and many of the parents of our pediatric
patients probably are concerned about whether their children may have
SARS. |
| Combination vaccines: are we
there yet? |
April 2003: The process
is not as simple as just mixing two vaccines together. |
| Vaccines produced in cell strains
derived from human embryonic tissue |
March 2003: An alert
reader’s letter highlights an important bioethical issue concerning
vaccine origins. |
| The other pox |
February 2003: Recent
findings concerning the efficacy of varicella vaccine are disturbing. |
| Mercury heats up |
January 2003: The
plural of anecdote is not proof when it comes to thimerosal. |
| Staphylococcal infections
re-emerge as a concern |
December 2002: As
resistance to drugs increases, practitioners must choose wisely. |
| The next measles epidemic and
individual rights |
November 2002: We may
be again approaching the rate of susceptibles that led to the 1988-1990
epidemic. |
| Hepatitis A is a ‘community
disease’ |
October 2002 |
| Influenza vaccine: How
‘encouraging’ should one be? |
September 2002: It must
be made clear that this vaccine can prevent one of five to 10 respiratory viral
infections that young children may be expected to get annually. It is not a
cold vaccine! |
| Smallpox update: be prepared to
talk with parents |
August 2002:
Inoculating with vaccinia produces an infection that is intended to produce
less morbidity than would smallpox. |
| A new respiratory
virus |
July 2002 |
| Otitis media: the viral
alternative |
June 2002: In a series
of studies of children with AOM by the Galveston group by testing middle ear
fluids and nasal wash specimens, evidence for viral involvement was found in
41%. |
| Vaccine shortages: how to
cope |
May 2002: Guidelines
are available on how to use the four vaccines that are in short supply. |
| Dukes’ return? On the trail
of the mysterious rash in schoolchildren |
April 2002: Is our
current epidemic a reappearance of Dukes’ disease or “fourth
disease?” |
| Varicella vaccine: much learned
and more still to know |
March 2002: We now have
several years experience and have given almost 30 million doses of vaccine.
What have we learned from the experience? |
| Which pox is it? |
February 2002: People
may be clamoring for smallpox vaccine because they do not recognize the adverse
events, which are not benign. When smallpox was a routine vaccination, many
parents did not want their children immunized. |
| ‘Everyone else’s child
is protected so mine does not need to be immunized’ |
January 2002: Although
immunization rates exceed 90%, we have had pockets of unimmunized populations
that have provided enough susceptibles to fuel epidemics. |
| A look back at 2001 |
December 2001:
Consideration is being given to the reintroduction of smallpox vaccine.
Those of us who witnessed the complications associated with this vaccine hope
this decision is made with consideration of the impact it may have on
children. |
| Diagnosing sinusitis |
November 2001 |
| Treating influenza in children
and adolescents |
October 2001: Parents
need to understand that influenza vaccine protects against influenza and will
not prevent or modify most respiratory illnesses that occur during the fall and
winter. |
|
Vaccine
shortages |
September 2001: Is it
time to modify the childhood immunization schedule? |
| Revisiting meningococcal vaccine
for school |
August 2001: Although
there are fewer cases of meningococcal disease than Haemophilus, the
number of deaths is similiar. |
| Infections of the
summer |
July 2001: Many
families travel during the summer, and not only should requirements for
vaccines against exotic diseases be checked, but also attention should be given
to diseases for which vaccines are commonly used in the United States. |
| Pneumococcal conjugate
vaccine: the second year and looking good |
June 2001: There
appears to be virtue in the use of PCV7 in day care attendees, as this would be
expected to produce some herd immunity. |
| An American
addiction? |
May 2001: Education of
parents regarding antimicrobials is expensive; it requires time. Some will be
resistant to any explanations. |
| What is acute
bronchitis? |
March 2001: Children
who are brought in because of cough must be evaluated to determine their
management even if we have difficulty assigning a diagnosis. |
| Infections of the
summer |
July 2001: Many
families travel during the summer, and not only should requirements for
vaccines against exotic diseases be checked, but also attention should be given
to diseases for which vaccines are commonly used in the United States. |
| Influenza and its effects on
infants and children |
February 2001: The new
antiviral drugs may make it feasible both to offer specific therapy for the
treatment of influenza and to decrease the need to use antibacterial
drugs. |
| Pertussis |
January 2001: Some
parents believe it is time to stop immunizing. Their position is understandable
and it should not be dismissed without discussion. |
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