Immunization Newsbriefs (c) Copyright Information Inc., Bethesda, MD. Brought to you by the National Network for Immunization Information (NNii). Visit NNii's new website at http://www.immunizationinfo.org.

------------------------------------------------------------

May 02, 2003

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"CDC Finds Wyeth Vaccine Slashes Certain Diseases"

Wall Street Journal (www.wsj.com) (05/01/03) P. D3; Hensley, Scott

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study finds that serious diseases caused by pneumococcal bacteria were reduced 69 percent in children under two years of age who have received Wyeth's Prevnar vaccine. The children's families also displayed a reduced incidence of the diseases, even though they were not vaccinated.  Researcher Cynthia Whitney notes that Prevnar is effective against bacteria resistant to antibiotics.  The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, may aid in gaining adherence to public-health recommendations for universal immunization of infants with the vaccine.

Vaccination News Home Page

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.