When it comes to coverage for recommended child and adolescent vaccinations, privately insured children are surprisingly often at a greater disadvantage than those children who are publicly insured or even uninsured.
A national survey of state immunization program managers reveals gaps in coverage for the current vaccine financing system, suggesting that many underinsured children may not receive recommended vaccinations, such as for pneumonia and meningitis, according to a report in the August 8 issue of JAMA.
An analysis of non-pharmaceutical interventions used in the U.S. during the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic, such as closing schools and banning public gatherings, found an association between these interventions and reduced death rates, suggesting that non-pharmaceutical interventions may play a role in planning for future influenza pandemics, according to a study in the August 8 issue of JAMA.
The highly pathogenic version of avian influenza H5N1 that created havoc in the poultry sector last year, is likely to resurface in India, a top UN official warned today.
For more than 200 years, vaccines have played an important role in the prevention of infectious diseases. In the United States, measles, mumps and rubella are now rare diseases thanks to vaccines. Now, two vaccines recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ? the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and the herpes zoster vaccine ? are proving effective in protecting people from serious or potentially life-threatening diseases.
GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK), one of the world?s largest vaccine manufacturers, announced that US health agency HHS has placed another order to purchase bulk H5N1 antigen for the US national stockpile of pre-pandemic vaccines. The company also announced the start of the first North American pre-pandemic vaccine trials in the company?s global pre-pandemic influenza program.
30 teams have been deployed for culling operations in 0-5 kms zone in the bird flu affected area of Manipur, India. As on 31st_July 2007, 2.35 lakh birds have been culled including 50,000 birds culled on 31st July.
Following the outbreak of avian influenza in Manipur, 1,37,944 birds have been culled so far. This comprises 58,615 chicken and ducks culled on 29th July and 79,329 birds culled from 25 to 28 July.
The Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt has announced a new human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection.
Even a delay of a few days or a week would give health authorities crucial time to prepare responses such as distributing anti-viral drugs and emergency resources, researchers say.