MMWR – Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

News Summary for November 3, 2011

1. Invasive Group A Streptococcus in a Skilled Nursing Facility — Pennsylvania, 2009—2010

CDC
Division of News & Electronic Media           
(404) 639-3286

Identification of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) cases and low 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) coverage rates suggest children aged through 59 months are left unprotected.Researchers at CDC assessed 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) coverage among children aged 0 through 59 months to determine uptake of this newly recommended vaccine.  In addition, they analyzed data from an ongoing PCV13 vaccine effectiveness evaluation to determine the number of children with invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) due to one of six serotypes unique to PCV13 among children who had not previously been vaccinated with PCV13.  Results of both analyses indicate that many children are not receiving PCV13 as recommended by ACIP, leaving them unprotected against IPD. Vaccine providers should administer a supplemental dose of PCV13 to all children aged 14 through 59 months who have received an age-appropriate PCV7 series, complete the PCV7 series with PCV13 for children who have not completed the PCV7 series, and ensure that younger children who have not had any PCV7 receive the full PCV13 primary series. 

2. Progress Toward Poliomyelitis Eradication — India, January 2010–September 2011

CDC
Division of News & Electronic Media  
(404) 639-3286

Of the four endemic countries, India is the only country that is on track to interrupt wild poliovirus (WPV) transmission in 2011. Although more time will be needed to be sure, the absence of WPV during the high-transmission season strongly indicates that India has interrupted WPV transmission.Ideally, lessons learned in India will be applied elsewhere to further progress toward polio eradication. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) was launched in 1988. By 2006, endemic poliovirus transmission was interrupted in all but four countries: India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. During 2010-2011, India has made substantial progress towards polio eradication. In 2010, only 42 wild poliovirus (WPV) cases were reported in India of the total of 232 in endemic countries. In 2011, India has reported only one WPV case and nine months have passed since this case. The continued absence of WPV cases during the high-transmission season indicates that it is very likely that India is polio-free. Significant improvements in polio immunization coverage in children in high-risk endemic areas and migrant populations, the introduction of bivalent oral poliovirus vaccine and improvements in routine immunization coverage in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and rapid response to outbreaks in new areas likely contributed to stopping WPV transmission.

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES