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By Carl C. F. Gittens, M.D., P.A.
In recent years the theme of medicine appears to me to be heading towards a proactive approach as opposed to a historically practiced reactive approach to medicine. Diet and exercise are becoming a part of our daily activities. We are approaching the back-to-school time of year. I am writing this article to remind everyone that another part of proactive health care is prevention of disease through the use of vaccines or immunizations. Immunizations (vaccines) are used to prevent infectious epidemics which were common in the past but are rare now. These diseases are rare at this time due to vaccinations/immunizations.
If vaccines are not used or become ineffective there may be a resurgence of old epidemics. A perfect example is when cases of flu became more prevalent when it was found the vaccine was of a different strain that the actual influenza. Vaccines are designed to protect against such things as hepatitis, mumps, rubella, polio, influenza, human papillomavirus, and certain types of pneumonias to name a few. Each year recommendations for routine use of vaccines in children, adolescents, and adults in the United States are developed by the advisory committee on immunization practices. The ACIP is chartered as a federal advisory committee to provide expert advice and guidance to the director of the centers for disease control and prevention on use of vaccines and related agents for the control of vaccine preventable disease in the civilian population of the United States. In other words, what worked last year may not work this year.
In this article I have included an immunization schedule for children from birth to the age of 18 years old, and also the adult immunization schedule. Please bear in mind that with vaccinations as with any medications or drug there are contraindications and precautions. For instance, the influenza inactived vaccine has contraindications which are severe allergic reaction such as anaphylaxis after a previous dose of any influenza vaccine or to a vaccine component including egg protein. To influenza live attenuated vaccine, severe allergic reaction after previous dose of influenza vaccine, or to a vaccine component including egg protein. Conditions for which the ACIP recommends against use, but which are not contraindications in vaccine package insert, immunosuppression and certain chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart and kidney disease, and pregnancy. Precautions: Moderate or severe acute illness with or without fever, history of Guillain-barre syndrome within 6 weeks of previous influenza infection. Persons who experience only hives with exposure to eggs should receive this vaccine with additional safety precautions. The human papillomavirus vaccine, otherwise known as HPV, is very controversial due to the fact that HPV is transmitted through sexual intercourse. The immunization schedule shows that 3-dose series are to be given between the ages of 11 and 12. Most parents do not want to believe that their children are having sex at the age of 11 and 12 years old. Therefore, they feel that there is no need for the vaccine at that age. The contraindications for the HPV vaccine are severe allergic reaction, fore example: Anaphylaxis after a previous dose to a vaccine component. Precautions: Moderate or severe acute illness with or without fever, or pregnancy. All of this information was taken from the CDC website which is www.cdc.gov. You can also find a copy of the most recent immunization schedules on my website www.DR-G.us. The advisory committee on immunization practices works very closely with The American Academy of Family Physicians, The American College of Obstetric Gynecology, The American College of Physicians, and The American College of Nurse-Midwives. Adopted recommendations of the ACIP by the CDC are published in the morbidity and mortality weekly report.
Carl C.F. Gittens, M.D., P.A.
INTERNAL MEDICINE
5305 Greenwood Ave., Ste. 203
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
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www.DR-G.us
