CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION Dr. ATHAL HUMO 2015-2016

Immunization Practices Immunization is one of the most beneficial and cost-effective disease-prevention measures. As a result of effective and safe vaccines, smallpox has been eradicated, polio is close to worldwide eradication, and measles and rubella are no longer endemic in the USA Immunization is the process of inducing immunity against a specific disease. Immunity can be induced either active or passive. As of 2011, infants, children, and adolescents routinely are vaccinated against 16 diseases in the USA

Active Immunization Active Immunization: process of inducing prolonged humeral and/or cellular immune response by administering a vaccine or toxoid. Vaccine: defined as whole or parts of microorganisms administered to prevent an infectious disease. Vaccines can consist of: Inactivated OR killed: Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Hib IPV HPV Inactivated influenza Pertussis Pneumococcal meningococcal live-attenuated microorganisms VIRAL (measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, rotavirus, OPV, and live-attenuated influenza vaccines). BACTERIA (BCG) Toxoid: (a modified bacterial toxin that is made nontoxic but is still able to induce an active immune response against the toxin). So it is produced by an individual’s own immune system and is usually long-lasting, e.g. tetanus & diphtheria

WHO Immunization Schedule The work with the following schedule started in Iraq in the 2nd of January 2012 Penta vaccine: Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Viral hepatitis type (b) and Haemophilus influenzae type b. Tetra vaccine: Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, and Haemophilus influenzae type b.

Bacille Calmette-Guérin Vaccination(BCG): The original vaccine organism was a strain of M. bovis attenuated by subculture every 3 wk for 13 yr. The preferred route of administration is intradermal injection(i.d) (0.05 ml for babies less than 1 mo; 0.1 ml for those more than 1mo in the left upper deltoid) Local ulceration and regional suppurative adenitis: mostly mild & resolve spontaneously. Profoundly immunocompromised patients may develop disseminated BCG infection after vaccination.

The recommendation of the WHO is a single dose administered during infancy The best use of BCG vaccination appears to be prevention of life-threatening forms of tuberculosis in infants and young children. BCG vaccination administered during infancy has little effect on the ultimate incidence of tuberculosis in adults, suggesting that the effect of the vaccine is time limited. It gives protection against T.B for at least 15 yr.

After receiving the vaccine, the child should be separated from the possible sources of infection until it can be demonstrated that the child has had a vaccine response, demonstrated by tuberculin reactivity, which usually develops within 1–3 mo. Occasionally, a 2nd BCG vaccination must be given to children who fail to develop skin test reactivity after the 1st dose.

Polio virus Vaccine: Vaccination is the only effective method of preventing poliomyelitis. Hygienic measures help limit the spread of the infection among young children, but immunization is necessary to control transmission among all age groups. Both the inactivated polio vaccine IPV (salk), and the live-attenuated OPV (sabin) have established efficacy in preventing poliovirus infection and paralytic poliomyelitis. IPV elicits higher serum IgG antibody titers, but the OPV also induces significantly greater mucosal IgA immunity in the oropharynx and gastrointestinal tract that limits replication of the wild poliovirus at these sites.

HBV should be given to adolescents and children only in the deltoid muscle, and to infants and neonates in the anterolateral thigh muscle as IM injection of 0.1 ml. Administration intradermally or in the buttocks has resulted in poor immune responses in some individuals, and these sites are not recommended. Hepatitis B Vaccine :

At birth : Administer monovalent HepB to all newborns before hospital discharge. If mother is hepatitis surface antigen(HBsAg) +ve, adminster HepB and 0.5 ml of (HBIG) simultaneously at different sites within 12 hr of birth. If mother HBsAg status is unknown, administer HepB vaccine within 12 hr of birth. Determine the HBsAg status as soon as possible & if HBsAg +ve, administer HBIG no later than 1 week. If mother is HBsAg –ve, the birth dose can only be delayed with physician’s order. E.g. HepB vaccination should be deferred in infants weighing <2 kg at birth until 30 days of age.

The final dose should not be administered before 6mo. After the birth dose: The HepB series should be completed with either monovalent HepB or combination vaccine containing HepB. The final dose should not be administered before 6mo. Infant born to HBsAg +ve mother should be tested for HBsAg & Ab to HBsAg after completion of HepB series, at age 9-18 mo.

Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis( DPT) vaccine: It is given i.m at the gluteal or anterolateral thigh. Three diphtheria and tetanus toxoids combined with acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccines currently are licensed in the USA for children <7 yr of age DTaP: Minimum age 6 wk 4th dose may be administerd as early as age 12 mo, provided 6 mo have elapsed since the 3rd dose Administer the final dose in the series at age 4-6yr. dT: the adult preparation (dT; 10% of pediatric diphtheria toxoid dose) For individuals 7 years of age or older, dT is recommended for the primary series and booster doses because the lower concentration of diphtheria toxoid is adequately immunogenic and because increasing the content of diphtheria toxoid heightens reactogenicity with increasing age . For those with ≥ 5yr since the last Td booster dose.[The patient who experiences hypersensitivity reaction or a temperature (>39.4C) after a dose of dT, which is rare, usually has high serum tetanus antitoxin levels and should not be given dT more frequently than every 10 yr, even if he or she sustains a significant tetanus-prone injury.]

Mild local and systemic adverse events as well as more serious events (including high fever, persistent crying of ≥3 hr duration, hypotonic hyporesponsive episodes, and seizures) occur significantly less frequently among infants who receive DTaP compared with DTP vaccine. entire limb swelling, with concurrent pain and erythema usually subsides spontaneously without sequelae.

Hemophilus influenza type b (Hib) conjucate vaccine: Minimum age 6wk Vaccine is not generally recommended for children ≥ 5 year. If 1st dose was administered at age 7-11 months, administer 2 doses separated by 4 weeks + booster at age 12-15 mo.

Rotavirus vaccine 3 D Minimum age 6 wk Administer the 1st dose at age 6-12 wk. Do not start the series later than age 12 wk. Do not administer the final dose in the series later than age 32 wk . Data on safety & efficacy outside of these age ranges are insufficient.

Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR) vaccine: 2 D Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR) vaccine: Measles vaccine is available as a monovalent preparation or combined as measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. MMR: Minimum age 12 mo. The current recommendations include a first dose at 12-15 mo followed by a second dose at 4-6 yr of age. Seroconversion is slightly lower in children who receive the first dose before or at 12 mo of age because of persisting maternal antibody. MMR may be administered before age 4-6 yr, provided ≥ 4wk have elapsed since the 1st dose. For children who have not received 2 doses by 11-12 yr of age, a second dose should be provided. Infants who receive a dose before 12 mo of age should be given 2 additional doses at 12-15 mo and 4-6 yr of age. Measles vaccine: For children 6-11 mo of age in epidemic situations or prior to international travel.

Adverse events from the MMR vaccine include: Fever (usually 6-12 days following vaccination). Rash. Rarely, transient thrombocytopenia. Children prone to febrile seizures may experience an event following vaccination, so the risks and benefits of vaccination should be discussed with parents. MMR vaccine significantly diminishes the risk for subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE).

In addition to these vaccines, others are recommended by AAP include: Pneumococcal vaccine Influenza vaccine Varicella vaccine: Hepatits A vaccine Meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine

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