CCDR: Volume 40-9, May 1, 2014: Immunization

Inside this issue: Immunization

As Immunization Awareness Week comes to a close, see how the incidence of invasive meningococcal disease serogroup C has decreased significantly since meningococcal C conjugate vaccines were introduced into the routine immunization schedule in the mid-2000s; find out why zoster (shingles) vaccine, although not part of the schedule, is recommended routinely for all adults aged 60 and over who do not have contraindications; and learn why children over 2 years of age and adults, who have received medical attention for asthma in the last 12 months, should be offered pneumococcal vaccine.

Table of contents

Surveillance and outbreak report
Enhanced surveillance of invasive meningococcal disease in Canada, 2006-2011
Li YA, Tsang R, Desai S and Deehan H

CIC Recommendations
Summary of the CIC Recommendations for zoster immunization programs
Canadian Immunization Committee (CIC)

Useful links
Update on the use of pneumococcal vaccines: addition of asthma as a high-risk condition. National Advisory Committee on Immunization. Summary table;

Notification of updates to the Canadian Immunization Guide Subscribe for email notices of updates to the Guide;

Recently published
Interim estimates of 2013/14 influenza clinical severity and vaccine effectiveness in the prevention of laboratory-confirmed influenza-related hospitalization, Canada, February 2014.
McNeil SA, Shinde V, Andrew M, et al. Eurosurveillance, Volume 19, Issue 9, 06 March 2014.

Upcoming education
The Canadian Field Epidemiology Program (CFEP) is now accepting applications for its annual Epidemiology in Action course in Ottawa, Ontario. People can apply to one or both modules:
September 8-19, 2014: Outbreak Investigations and Applied Public Health
September 22-26, 2014: Describing and Analyzing Epidemiologic Data using Stata

For further information and an application package, please contact CFEP at: cfep@phac-aspc.gc.ca.

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