| 1996 NEWS ARTICLES |
| Acellular
pertussis vaccines may be impractical for developing
countries |
August 1996: High cost, complex production and no
significant efficacy advantages may make DTaP unattainable for many developing
nations. |
| Acellular vaccines could
change epidemiology of pertussis disease |
May 1996: In an exclusive interview, James Cherry,
MD, told us that increased use of acellular pertussis vaccines may allow
boosters later in life. |
| ACIP
considers whether to assess CD4 levels before using MMR
vaccine |
August 1996: An unusual case of measles pneumonitis
in a severely immunocompromised person may be related to vaccination with
MMR. |
| ACIP
prepares draft DTaP recommendations |
April 1996: In anticipation of licensure, the ACIP
is working out the details of its recommendations for using acellular pertussis
vaccines. |
| ACIP
readies DTaP vaccination recommendations |
December 1996: Because of safety concerns, acellular
pertussis vaccines are preferred for the primary series. |
| ACIP
reviews measles vaccine recommendations |
April 1996: The committee is considering a
recommendation that all states adopt laws requiring a second dose of measles
vaccine by school entry. |
| ACIP
tries harmonizing options for polio vaccination |
April 1996: The ACIP wants to allow for crossover
and simplicity among all acceptable polio immunization strategies. |
| Actions
speak louder than words |
September 1996: You need to give more than just
information to change teens' behavior; you need to show them an
alternative. |
| Adolescents remain at
risk for diseases because of undervaccination |
October 1996: Health officials are turning to the
media to promote adolescent immunizations. |
| Adult
sexual behavior puts adolescents at risk for STDs |
February 1996: According to the statistics, the
source of infection must be outside the adolescents' peer group; that is,
adults. |
| After 25
years of MMR vaccine, children do not know the disease |
June 1996: The CDC estimates that 24,600 lives and
$34.6 billion have been saved because of MMR vaccine. |
| Amoxicillin remains drug of
choice for initial AOM therapy |
February 1996: One reason is that amoxicillin
resistance results in few treatment failures. |
| Bacteria
steal genes, spread antibiotic resistance |
June 1996: Multidrug-resistant Streptococci
switch their coat to evade immune system. |
| Bar
codes may help bypass immunization tracking problems |
August 1996: Tracking who receives vaccinations is
essential to achieving national goals: to fully immunize 90% of the nation's
2-year olds by 2000. |
| Beware
of viral imposters when diagnosing group A strep pharyngitis |
September 1996: A benign carrier state and viral
infections may prompt inappropriate penicillin prescriptions. |
| Candidiasis a common
vulvovaginitis |
March 1996: Taking a thorough history is critical.
Smears help make the diagnosis. |
| CDC
changes polio policy amid controversy |
October 1996: Experts debate whether the change is a
logical step or a halfway policy. |
| CDC working
to overcome problem of drug-resistant Streptococcus
pneumoniae |
June 1996: A sixtyfold increase in resistant
isolates, including more than 20 different strains of pneumococci within the
last three or four years, has prompted a defense strategy. |
| Child care
workers have low rate of hepatitis A virus infection |
September 1996: Immunizing these workers against the
virus may not be warranted under usual circumstances. |
| Children
should still be treated for otitis until new criteria are
developed |
December 1996: Some European countries do not treat
AOM immediately. They have lower resistance rates, but more cases of
mastoiditis. |
| Children
with chickenpox at high risk for invasive group A strep |
October 1996: Population-based study defines who is
at risk for invasive infections caused by group A streptococci. |
| Children
with E. coli O157 should be monitored for HUS |
December 1996: Physicians must be aware of the new
vehicles for E. coli O157:H7 to make the correct diagnosis. |
| Clarithromycin treats C
trachomatis in babies |
March 1996: The drug effectively eradicated the
pathogen in 95% of cases in this study. |
| Community immunization
registries coming closer to reality in U.S. |
October 1996: The protection of confidentiality and
the administrative burden of creating nationwide databases are still major
issues of concern. |
| Conjugate
vaccines may reduce nasopharyngeal carriage of pneumococci |
February 1996: Reduced nasopharyngeal carriage will
help slow the spread of antibiotic-resistant strains. |
| Contaminated grafts cause
meningitis in recipients |
October 1996: Three children developed
Ochrobactrum anthropi meningitis from contaminated grafts. |
| Density
and turnover rate important risk factors in day care
infections |
July 1996: Crowding, direct contact, the opportunity
for indirect transmission and lack of toilet training can increase the spread
of infection in a day care setting. |
| Dermatophyte infections
have many presentations |
March 1996: Be on the lookout for tinea capitis,
especially atypical presentations, pediatrician advises. |
| Determining sinusitis
therapy is difficult |
March 1996: Persistent symptoms are an indication of
a secondary bacterial infection. |
| Diagnosing erythema
multiforme can be tricky |
March 1996: It is relatively uncommon in children.
Suspect urticaria in most cases. |
| Diagnosis
is critical in urinary tract infections |
February 1996: Sequelae of UTIs can include vesicle
ureteral reflux, renal scarring, hypertension, and end-stage renal
disease. |
| Diseases
vanquished by vaccines may catch pediatricians off guard |
September 1996: Infectious Diseases in
Children takes a look at these disappearing diseases in this special
report. |
| Do
common warts need treatment? |
July 1996: Time heals most warts, so pediatricians
may not want to treat them. Parents, however, may insist that they be
treated. |
| Drug-resistant
pneumococci may alter care for patients with otitis media |
February 1996 |
| DTaP
vaccine approved for infant series |
September 1996: An acellular pertussis vaccine may
now be given to infants at 2 months, 4 months and 6 months of age. |
| Emerging resistance
prompts reconsideration of standard therapy |
January 1996: A nationwide pneumococcal surveillance
study showed that the overall prevalence for intermediate and highly resistant
strains was 15%. |
| Escherichia coli
O144:NM associated with encephalopathy in two children |
December 1996: Enteroinvasive E. coli O144
was the only possible explanation for two cases of encephalopathy; the
mechanism, however, is unknown. |
| E.
coli O157:H7 in apple juice raises questions about
pasteurization |
December 1996: Two outbreaks, including one death,
linked to fresh apple juice triggers probe into juice-making process. |
| FDA
approves drug to prevent RSV disease in some children |
February 1996: Evidence shows that RSV immune
globulin prevents lower respiratory tract infections in children with certain
underlying medical conditions. |
| FDA
approves second hepatitis A vaccine |
May 1996: The CDC estimates that 143,000 cases of
HAV infection occur in the United States each year. |
| FDA
approves the first carbapenem for children |
August 1996: The drug promises to be a reliable
empiric treatment for bacterial meningitis and other serious infections. |
| FDA
committee requires more data on acellular pertussis vaccine |
December 1996: Committee not satisfied with the low
numbers presented in the Amvax study. |
| FDA
recommends approval for another acellular pertussis vaccine |
December 1996: FDA committee recommends approval of
first three doses of the Wyeth-Lederle acellular pertussis vaccine
Acel-Imune. |
| Federal
agencies, private industry join forces for vaccine R&D |
January 1996: By combining their resources, the
public and private sectors can help each other achieve research goals. |
| First DTaP
recommended for FDA approval |
March 1996: A diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis
vaccine is safe and effective for the primary infant series. |
| Five-prong
approach gives pediatricians solid standing in treating acute
otitis |
December 1996: Consider education, chemoprophylaxis
and vaccination for AOM. If disease persists look at surgery and an immunologic
work-up. |
| GI
infection? Ask if the child was swimming |
May 1996 |
| Guidelines
to prevent invasive GBS in neonates issued |
July 1996: One of two recommended strategies could
reduce the incidence of early onset invasive group B strep disease by 90% to
95%. |
| HHV-7
implicated in febrile seizures in children |
July 1996: Whether the virus or the resulting fever
actually causes the seizure is still uncertain. |
| Hib
meningitis declines 95% among American children thanks to
vaccine |
December 1996: Before the introduction of the
vaccine, Hib was the most common cause of bacterial meningitis among U.S.
children 5 and under. |
| High
HIV load in newborns predicts rapid onset of AIDS |
August 1996 |
| HIV
vaccine research moving slowly but surely |
June 1996: Vaccine candidates, most in early trials,
continue to test the limits of technology. |
| Identify
the parasite responsible for diarrheal illness, researcher
urges |
January 1996: Which drug to use for treatment, if
any, depends on the parasite causing the diarrhea. |
| Immune
system compromised by excessive exercise and low-fat diet |
October 1996: Low-fat diets, which many competitive
athletes follow, may weaken the immune system, while increasing dietary fat to
moderate levels may improve it. |
| Improving
risk communication an ongoing goal of federal agencies |
October 1996: The CDC considered its failure to
properly notify parents about an experimental vaccine a minor oversight; the
public considered it a breach of trust. |
| Immunization strategies
break traditions |
January 1996: It is no longer enough to depend on
regularly scheduled office visits to immunize children; they must be reached in
their communities. |
| Infectious
diseases remain major global health threat, especially to
children |
July 1996: Of the 52 million deaths during 1995,
one-third were caused by infectious diseases. |
| Lettuce
can transmit E. coli 0157:H7 to humans |
October 1996: Lettuce consumption linked to separate
1995 outbreaks of diarrheal illness in two states. |
| Make sure
it's sinusitis before giving antibiotics |
December 1996: A secondary bacterial infection will
benefit from antimicrobial therapy; allergic rhinitis or an upper respiratory
infection will not. |
| Maternal smoking linked
to fourfold increase in meningococcal risk |
June 1996: Crowding, low maternal education and
having no primary care physician are among other risk factors. |
| Measles vaccine study
damages perception of federal research projects |
October 1996: An inaccurate informed consent form
may have lasting repercussions on the public's trust of government
research. |
| Mother-to-infant HIV
transmission rate declines after guidelines are published |
August 1996 |
| National
Immunization Survey reveals increasing vaccination coverage |
August 1996: The 1995 Childhood Immunization
Initiative interim coverage goals have been met or exceeded for all
vaccinations except measles-mumps-rubella. |
| New
findings: Amoxicillin may not prevent repeat episodes of acute otitis
media |
June 1996: Chewing gum containing the food additive
xylitol, however, might lower the risk for recurrent AOM. |
| New
guidelines for PCP prophylaxis in children infected with HIV |
April 1996: All children exposed to HIV should
receive prophylaxis at 4 to 6 weeks of age. |
| New
topical acne treatment approved |
July 1996: Acne is most prevalent during the teenage
and young adult years, affecting about 85% of those 12 to 24 years old.
Seventeen million Americans have acne. |
| Not all
warts in anogenital areas signal abuse |
July 1996: An extensive medical and social
examination needs to be done to evaluate these children. |
| NVAC
explores controversial vaccine procurement plan |
March 1996: The CDC's vaccine purchasing system is
quickly becoming outdated as overlapping combinations enter the market. |
| Oral
treatment may be as good as IV therapy for treating UTIs in young
kids |
July 1996: An effective oral treatment for UTIs in
children from 1 month to 24 months of age could prevent many hospitalizations
and save health care dollars. |
| Pediatrician
may have exposed children to TB |
May 1996: As a result of the potential exposure, up
to 3,432 people may receive skin tests. So far, 51 people, including 12
children, tested positive. |
| Pentavalent combination
vaccine appears to be immunogenic in infants |
December 1996: The combination consists of
diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, inactivated polio and Hib
vaccines. |
| Political squabbles
threaten vaccine policy |
January 1996 |
| Possible
new reservoir for Lyme disease discovered |
August 1996: Naming of the shrew |
| Prenatal virus
infection may cause diabetes |
July 1996: More children with diabetes are born in
the spring, suggesting that a maternal infection may play a role. |
| Raspberries a prime suspect
in multistate outbreak of GI illness |
August 1996: A protozoan parasite called
Cyclospora cayetanensis is the culprit. Initially, investigators had
focused their attention on strawberries. |
| Recommendations for
using varicella vaccine |
September 1996: Vaccination is recommended for
virtually anyone who has not had prior infection; immunodeficiency is a
contraindication. |
| Record
reviews boost immunization coverage rates |
April 1996: Because of the success of a Georgia
assessment program, the ACIP is encouraging other states to follow suit. |
| Reducing bacterial
contamination through vaccination on the farm |
September 1996: The vaccination resulted in a 16% to
93% reduction in the numbers of bacteria carried by broiler chickens. |
| Research
team isolates HGE bacterium for the first time |
April 1996: Others have issued a report that may
help pediatricians diagnose the disease. |
| Researchers do not
recommend nebulized dexamethasone for children with croup |
June 1996: The therapy did not reduce the hospital
admission rate among children with moderately severe croup. |
| Simple
treatment best in diaper dermatitis |
March 1996: Minimal irritating contact, mild
cleansing and barrier ointments are still the way to go. Look for complicating
disease in severe cases. |
| Some
cases of Crohn's disease appear to respond to antibiotic
treatment |
July 1996: Evidence suggests that a mycobacterium
has a role in the illness; investigators have tested clarithromycin alone and
in combination with rifabutin. |
| Spider
bites can be more than a nuisance |
May 1996: The red, white and blue 'flag sign' can
help distinguish a spider bite. The center is pale, surrounded by a dusky
purple and erythema. |
| State
laws requiring immunizations for school entry fall short of
recommendations |
September 1996: Not all states follow federal
vaccination guidelines, leaving some children under vaccinated. |
| STD
tests may be avoidable when evaluating some girls for sexual
abuse |
March 1996: Investigators find that sexually abused
prepubertal girls have a relatively low prevalence of STDs. |
| Steroids
ineffective for treating bronchiolitis |
October 1996: Dexamethasone did not reduce the time
to resolution in normal, healthy children with bronchiolitis. |
| Study
shows efficacy of 5-day cefuroxime axetil therapy for AOM |
April 1996: Pediatricians may be able to shorten the
duration of treatment and improve compliance. |
| Study
shows nasally inhaled steroid may prevent seasonal allergy
symptoms |
May 1996: In one trial in children, triamcinolone
provided significantly better relief of symptoms — runny nose, stuffiness,
sneezing and itching — than did placebo. |
| Style and
approach important when talking to teens with problems |
September 1996: Four ways to help teens are:
practice good medicine, assess kids before crises happen; change behavior; and
advocate for social justice. |
| Three-component DTaP safe
and effective for infants |
August 1996: The second acellular pertussis vaccine
for primary immunizations to be considered by the FDA passed the scrutiny of
its advisory committee. |
| Unanswered questions
continue to haunt pertussis vaccine research |
July 1996: Acellular pertussis vaccine trials showed
safety and efficacy, but they did not address other questions. |
| USDA beefs
up meat inspection standards |
September 1996: In an attempt to reduce
contamination, all meat and poultry products must now be tested for
Escherichia coli and Salmonella. |
| Vaccinating moms to
protect baby may be a practice whose time has come |
August 1996: The population is there, the science is
there, the precedent is there, so why don't we vaccinate women who are
pregnant? |
| Vaccine
safety crucial but impossible to guarantee |
January 1996: A complex regulatory and monitoring
system produces the safest vaccines possible, but no biologic product is 100%
safe. |
| Viral
enterotoxin induces rotavirus-like diarrhea |
June 1996: How rotavirus causes diarrhea is not
fully understood; a nonstructural glycoprotein may be the key. |
Editorials
|
| Let's
take another look at meningitis |
May 1996: by Philip A. Brunell, MD, Chief Medical
Editor |
Departments
|
| Ask the Experts |
May
1996: Just when you thought it was safe to go into the
water |
| April
1996: Pediatricians have key role in identifying emerging
infections |
| Letters to the Editor |
July
1996: NSAIDs and invasive streptococcal infections complicating
varicella |
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