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Press releases are listed in order of publication. Salud Infantil: Proteger a los bebes contra la tos ferina ### Red Nacional de Salud de la Mujer Latina [National Latina Health Network (NLHN)] y Padres de Niños con Enfermedades Infecciosas [Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases (PKIDs)] inician la campaña nacional de concientización sobre la tos ferina Campaña destinada a educar a la comunidad latina acerca de la tos ferina y el, contagio de los adultos a los bebés Washington, D.C., 1 de mayo de 2008. Tanto a la Red Nacional de Salud de la Mujer Latina [National Latina Health Network (NLHN)] como a Padres de Niños con Enfermedades Infecciosas [Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases (PKIDs)] les place anunciar su asociación en una campaña de concientización dentro de la comunidad latina. La campaña explica los peligros de la tos ferina, también conocida como coqueluche, y la necesidad de vacunar contra esta enfermedad a los adultos y adolescentes que están en contacto cercano con los bebés para evitar su propagación. La tos ferina es una enfermedad sumamente contagiosa que suele caracterizarse por una tos fuerte. Los casos de la enfermedad están aumentando y es particularmente peligrosa entre los bebés. Más de la mitad de los bebés infectados con la afección son hospitalizados y el 90% de las muertes relacionadas con la tos ferina han ocurrido entre bebés menores de seis meses.i,ii Mediante esfuerzos tanto nacionales como a nivel de la gente común, la Campaña en español de concientización de la tos ferina iniciará una convocatoria a la acción por todo el país, que genere el apoyo de los líderes locales en las comunidades latinas para ayudar a educar a las familias sobre esta peligrosa enfermedad. La primera fase de esta campaña se inicia hoy en Washington, D.C., con una mesa redonda organizada para reunir a quienes lideran el pensamiento en la comunidad y determinar las mejores prácticas a fin de mejorar las tasas de inmunización contra la tos ferina entre adultos y adolescentes. "Aumentar el acceso a la educación para la salud y a la atención médica de calidad es una prioridad urgente, y detener la tos ferina es parte de nuestro trabajo más importante", afirma Elena M. Alvarado, presidenta y directora general de la Red Nacional de Salud de la Mujer Latina [National Latina Health Network (NLHN)] . "Datos publicados recientemente muestran que las condiciones sociales y los factores ambientales perjudican a las minorías en cuanto a la salud y la enfermedad, lo que influye en la conducta individual y en las condiciones de enfermedad y salud".iii Solamente mediante los esfuerzos colectivos de los líderes clave de apoyo activo y otros defensores de una mejor salud en la comunidad de habla hispana podremos llegar a los latinos con información y herramientas útiles para ayudarlos a tomar decisiones informadas sobre su salud. La tos ferina y la comunidad latina La comunidad latina está especialmente amenazada por la infección de tos ferina. La literatura científica en el Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine cita el origen latino como un riesgo de muerte por tos ferina para los bebés.iii La mayor parte de la comunidad latina no se da cuenta de que los bebés latinos están contrayendo la enfermedad a una tasa alarmante, en especial a través de sus cuidadores adultos, cuya inmunidad adquirida gracias a las vacunas de la niñez se ha debilitado con el tiempo. La encuesta nacional de inmunización de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC, por sus siglas en inglés) determinó que apenas cerca de un 2% de los adultos de los EE. UU. (entre los 18 y los 64 años de edad) habían recibido un refuerzo contra la tos ferina desde 2005, cuando el refuerzo se ofreció por primera vez.vi El Comité Asesor de Prácticas de Inmunización (ACIP, por sus siglas en inglés) de los CDC recomienda que los adultos entre los 19 y 64 años de edad, en especial los que están en contacto cercano con un bebé, sean vacunados con un único refuerzo Tdap contra el tétanos, la difteria y la tos ferina. Los CDC también recomiendan el refuerzo Tdap para proteger a los adolescentes entre los 11 y los 18 años. Además, se recomienda la vacunación para los trabajadores de salud a fin de evitar el contagio de la infección a sus pacientes. La tos ferina ha venido aumentando en los últimos años y es la única enfermedad infecciosa, para la cual los niños son vacunados rutinariamente, cuyo número de casos está subiendo en lugar de disminuir. En 1976, se registró un número bajo récord de 1.010 casos, en comparación con 25.000 casos para el 2004. Debido a que suele diagnosticarse erróneamente como un resfriado, la falta de notificación de casos podría ser enorme. En 2004, se notificaron más de 25.000 casos, pero el número de casos anuales podría aproximarse al millón. Para estar completamente protegidos contra la tos ferina, todos los niños deberían haber recibido cinco dosis de la vacuna DTaP cuando cumplen los siete años. La tos ferina se transmite por medio de las gotitas expulsadas de la boca y la nariz cuando una persona infectada tose, estornuda o habla. Mediante los esfuerzos de la campaña, se animará a los adultos y adolescentes latinos a hablar con el pediatra de su hijo o con su médico acerca de los peligros de la tos ferina y lo que pueden hacer para detener el contagio a los bebés. Para obtener más información acerca de la tos ferina, visite www.pkids.org. Acerca de la NLHN La NLHN ( Red Nacional de Salud de la Mujer Latina [National Latina Health Network (NLHN)] ) es una organización sin fines de lucro que responde a las preocupaciones de salud más importantes que afectan a los latinos y a sus familias. La NLHN desarrolla programas innovadores de salud que fomentan el bienestar y los comportamientos y actitudes saludables centro de las comunidades latinas de la nación, y también establecen y promueven el liderazgo y las sociedades de salud comunitarias en todo el país. http://www.nlhn.net Acerca de PKIDs ENDNOTES iDepartamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de los Estados Unidos. La enfermedad. Disponibles en: http://www.cispimmunize.org/ill/dtp/pert/pertill.html. ii90% de las muertes relacionadas con la tos ferina han ocurrido en bebés menores de seis meses. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades) La prevención del tétanos, la difteria y la tos ferina entre los adultos. Uso de la vacuna de difteria, tétanos y tos ferina acelular de contenido antigénico reducido. Recomendaciones del Comité Asesor sobre prácticas de inmunización MMWR 2006; 55(RR-17). 1-33. iiiPediatr Infect Dis J.Aumento de muertes por tos ferina entre bebés en los Estados Unidos en la década de los 1990. 2003 22 de julio (7):628-34. ivCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades) Vaccination coverage among U.S. adults; National Immunization Survey – Adultos, 2007 Consultado en http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/stats-surv/nis/downloads/nis-adult-summer-2007.pdf el 3 de abril de 2008. ### PKIDs Launches New (and funny) Website For Immediate Release Washington D.C.– PKIDs (Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases) today announced the official launch of GETVAXED.ORG. The website was developed to directly connect teens and twentysomethings to vaccine information for their age groups. “We’re used to talking to parents about vaccines, not young people,” explained Trish Parnell, director of PKIDs. “We had to think young. After weeks of going home with headaches and no ideas, we went out and found a bunch of talented twentysomething writers to script videos for the website. It worked!” GETVAXED.ORG marries science with kicked-back jargon and funny videos, reminding the tens of millions of undervaccinated people ages 16 to 29 that they, too, need vaccines. What young people are saying about GETVAXED.ORG: “…loved the eclectic look…easy to find info…enjoyable…handles the straight truth about preventable diseases …very interactive…wild, creative, and fun…getvaxed scored a 10 with me, videos made me laugh over and over again, great job…I really liked the site, couldn’t stop laughing.” “GETVAXED.ORG is a project of PKIDs’ Youth Vaccine Initiative,” said Parnell. “Young people are notoriously underserved when it comes to healthcare and health messages. This website raises their vaccine awareness and gets them motivated to see a provider for their vaccines.” Mary Beth Koslap-Petraco, a nurse practitioner and primary care provider in New York who works with young adult populations, said, “I LOVE it!!! The vernacular language and funny videos really appeal to the teen and young adult population. Speaking as a public health nurse, a site such as this is just what we need to reach this population.” The new website is running a video contest through the popular self-broadcasting site YouTube http://www.youtube.com/getvaxed. Winners get gift certificates worth up to $1,000. Contest rules can be found at www.getvaxed.org. About PKIDs ### ** MARCH 13 MEDIA OPPORTUNITY ** According to the latest national figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 4 children in California have not received all of the recommended vaccines on time by age 2; national data also show that California children fall below the national average in getting recommended vaccinations on time. This means Sacramento children, and others across the state, are at much greater risk for infection. And the consequences can be heartbreaking. Delicia Abdur-Rahim, wife of Sacramento Kings’ star Shareef Abdur-Rahim and mother of two young children, and Dr. Dean Blumberg, pediatric infectious disease specialistat UC Davis, have joined forces with the national parent group PKIDs (Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases) to launch a local media campaign urging Sacramento parents to MOVE – Make On-time Vaccination Easy – to prevent the potential devastation that these diseases can cause. “It is my responsibility as a parent to protect my children, and one way to do that is by vaccinating them on time. I am hoping I can bring this to the public’s attention to help other families recognize why this is so important – and turn Sacramento into a model city f or on-time vaccination f or our little ones,” Delicia said. “I’ve seen the tragedy caused by childhood diseases during my years in practice, as well as the dramatic, positive impact that vaccines have had in reducing these health risks,” said Dr. Blumberg. hildhood vaccination starts at birth and can continue up to age 6. Vaccines protect babies from more than a dozen diseases. But babies are at greatest risk for infectious diseases between birth and age 2, which is why on-time vaccinations are so important. WHO: Ms. Abdur-Rahim and Dr. Dean Blumberg are available for interview to talk about the dangers of not vaccinating children on time by age 2. WHEN: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 – in-studio or via telephone WHAT: PKIDs is a national nonprofit organization that supports families touched by infectious diseases. It also educates the public about effective disease prevention through the use of immunizations, standard precautions, hand washing and other strategies. In September, PKIDs launched a national media campaign alerting parents to MOVE – Make On-time Vaccination Easy – to prevent the potential devastation that vaccine-preventable diseases can cause. Visit www.pkids.org/move for more information on the campaign and the importance of childhood immunization. Media contact: All other inquiries: ### PKIDs (Parents of Kids With Infectious Diseases) Commends New Recommendation For Adult Whooping Cough Immunization Prevention of Highly Contagious Disease Across Age Groups Important to Protect Vulnerable Infants and Young Children WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- PKIDs, Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases, applauds the new pertussis immunization recommendations for adult immunization against whooping cough, a highly contagious disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends vaccination to protect against pertussis in adults, including immunization with tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis in adults who have close contact with an infant six months of age or younger, and a tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis booster in all adults 10 years following the previous tetanus-diphtheria immunization. "Whooping cough, medically known as pertussis, continues to spread across the United States and affect all ages. These recommendations are an important step in protecting the entire family," said Trish Parnell, executive director of the national non-profit organization. "Increased whooping cough immunization should not only lessen the incidence of infection across all age groups, but also provide protection to infants and young children from the severe and sometimes fatal effects of the disease." Whooping cough is on the rise, and adults, who make up one-third of cases, are often responsible for the spread of disease. A 2004 CDC study reported that in cases where the disease source was identifiable, adults were responsible for more than half of pertussis cases in infants, with parents and grandparents the source for 55 percent of cases.(i) In June, ACIP recommended pertussis vaccination for adolescents aged 11-18. Two Mothers' Stories Pamela Durkin, from Hatboro, Pa., addressed the ACIP today about her family's experience with pertussis. She relayed how, in late 2002, she lost her seven-week-old son to the disease. At five weeks old, her son Colin was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. As his condition grew worse, he was put on life support and ultimately diagnosed with whooping cough. Colin died in the hospital two weeks later. His family didn't know about the threat of whooping cough. Colin was too young to be immunized and it's not known where he contracted the disease. It could have been anyone, which is why Pamela traveled to tell her family's story to the committee. Late in Wendy Ellsworth's pregnancy, she developed a cough that was so severe, she couldn't breathe. A month after her daughter Brooke was born, the newborn started to cough. It became worse, and baby Brooke was rushed to the hospital where she was admitted. Brooke was transferred to a facility in Salt Lake City where whooping cough was eventually diagnosed. After nearly six weeks, Brooke began recovering and was eventually released from the hospital. She is now a healthy two-year-old toddler. Wendy not only transmitted whooping cough to Brooke, but gave it to her two older children, who suffered a milder form of the disease and recovered. Wendy is thankful her family was so fortunate. Whooping Cough Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease. Immunity from early childhood vaccinations wears off, leaving adolescents and adults susceptible to the disease. While some have relatively minor symptoms, these older groups are responsible for transmitting the disease to others. While adults and adolescents may suffer from a severe and prolonged cough, vomiting and hospitalizations, the disease is the most severe in infants who are too young to have been fully immunized. Infants are at higher risk for severe illness, complications and death. Ninety percent of unvaccinated children living with someone with whooping cough will contract it.(ii) The number of whooping cough cases in 2004 was the highest in four decades, reaching nearly 26,000; cases in adults continue to grow at a rapid pace.(iii) About PKIDs PKIDs (Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases) is a national non-profit organization that supports families touched by chronic, viral infectious diseases including hepatitis B and C and HIV/AIDS. It also educates the public about effective disease prevention through the use of immunizations, standard precautions, handwashing and other strategies. PKIDs provides information about infectious disease prevention through its Web site (http://www.pkids.org) and toll-free phone, (877) 557-5437. An infectious disease prevention workshop, designed for all ages, is available at http://www.pkids.org/idw.htm. i Bisgard KM, et al. Infant Pertussis: Who Was the Source? Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. 2004; 23(11):985-989. ii Offit, P; Bell, L. Vaccines: What Every Parent Should Know; 3rd Ed., 2003; 35. iii Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases. Pertussis Disease Information. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/incidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/pertussis_t.htm. Accessed April 8, 2005. Contact: Trish Parnell: (360) 695-0293; pkids@pkids.org ### Teens Likely Target For New Vaccines (NAPS)—Vaccines have come a
long way since 1022 A.D. when a
Buddhist nun fashioned what
many consider the precursor to
vaccines in an effort to fight
smallpox.
Since then, vaccines have
stopped smallpox virus, are close
to eradicating the polio virus and
have slowed numerous other disease-
causing microbes. Where are
they headed?
Vaccines making their way from the research bench, through clinical trials, and finally, the approval process, will in the next few years protect against such diseases as:
Today’s scientists envision a time when vaccines may defeat cancers, prevent the common cold and perhaps even drug abuse. For more information about adolescent vaccines, consult with your family physician. Did You Know? Experts in adolescent health see vaccines as effective tools for disease prevention. Said AMA President J. Edward Hill, M.D. “When adolescents do not receive recommended immunizations, they become vulnerable to diseases that can cause serious illness and even death.” For more information about adolescent vaccines, consult with your family physician. ### 2005 A Landmark Year for Adolescent Vaccines: Progress Paves the Way for Improved Protection New York – In the world of disease prevention, adolescents have traditionally gotten short shrift from the medical community. For years, adolescents have had little in the way of vaccine protection, but the year 2005 brought with it new vaccines for this age group, with many more pushing their way down the research pipeline. Pertussis (whooping cough) boosters and a conjugate meningococcal (meningitis) vaccine are the new vaccines added to the CDC immunization schedule for adolescents, which currently includes:
Despite the new developments, the importance of vaccine protection is at times underestimated by both adolescents and their parents. Thirty-five million adolescents in America are not fully vaccinated. “Such a large pool of unprotected individuals can have multiple negative consequences, including disease outbreaks among this large group and the unfortunate ability to act as a reservoir of disease for those who can’t be immunized or those for whom immunizations are not as effective.” said Trish Parnell, director of PKIDs. “The meningococcal disease immunization recommendations introduced in 2005, along with future developments in vaccines for adolescents, will literally help save the lives of young people across the country,” said Lynn Bozof, National Meningitis Association executive director, who lost her son Evan in 1998 to meningococcal disease while he was a junior in college. Adolescent vaccines making their way through the research and approval process will protect against such diseases as:
“ Many people think that shots are only for babies,” explained Ms. Parnell. “But, in reality, there are millions of people between the ages of 11-19 who are at risk of getting serious diseases like tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, chickenpox, and others. It’s important to remember that the community-at-large also benefits when children and teens are fully immunized.” Adolescents and their families are often times confused and unaware of the immunization recommendations for teenagers. PKIDs launched their Teen Vaccine Initiative in 2005. This program encourages American adolescents and their parents to ensure this youthful group has had all of its recommended vaccinations. “Adolescents need help with learning how to protect their health. What they learn now ― the safe health habits they adopt ― will provide a lifetime of protection against disease,” said Ms. Parnell. PKIDs is a national nonprofit organization that supports families touched by chronic, viral infectious diseases including viral hepatitis and HIV/AIDS, and educates the public about effective disease prevention. Created in 1996 by parents seeking ways to help their children face the physical, emotional and social challenges of these diseases, PKIDs also provides information about the latest medical treatments, civil rights protections and pertinent information on family issues through its volunteers, publications, listservs, staff and website ( www.pkids.org). For more information on what vaccines your adolescent may need, visit the CDC website at: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/ Parents of adolescents affected by vaccine-preventable diseases and adolescent healthcare specialists are available for interviews. ### MOST U.S. TEENAGERS TURN TO PARENTS FIRST FOR HEALTH INFORMATION, PKIDs’ SURVEY FINDS Today Also Marks the First Day the Flu Shot Is Available to All NEW YORK — A national survey by Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases (PKIDs) shows that most American teens consider their parents to be their most trusted source of health information. Healthcare providers came in a close second, according to the survey, which was released today. Not surprisingly, the PKIDs’ survey also found that parents themselves turn to the teens’ healthcare providers as their primary source of adolescent health information. “For many adolescents, transitioning from childhood to adulthood is a rollercoaster journey with way too many bumps,” said PKIDs’ Executive Director Trish Parnell. “Some of those bumps are health risks that they end up plowing through, rather than safely rolling over,” Parnell said. “Adolescents need help with learning how to protect their health. What they learn now ―the safe health habits they adopt―will provide a lifetime of protection against disease.” The survey’s release coincides with the launching of PKIDs’ “Teen Vaccine Initiative,” aimed at encouraging every American teenager to make sure they’ve had all the vaccinations recommended for their particular age group. “Vaccines are a safe, effective, yet underutilized method of disease prevention in this population,” Parnell noted. “Disease prevention has never been so fast and easy; however, 35 million adolescents may not be up-to-date on recommended vaccines.” Parnell urged both parents and adolescent healthcare providers to make an extra effort this fall to bring the vaccination rate of U.S. teenagers as close to 100 percent as possible. “As the main sources of healthcare information for teens, they play a major role in protecting adolescents from a long list of serious diseases,” she added. Added awareness of the effectiveness of vaccines is especially needed this year, Parnell said, to overcome a number of barriers to immunization that have been identified in recent months, including:
Dr. Paul Offit, Chief of Infectious Diseases and Director of the Vaccine Education Center at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said he hoped the survey and the “Teen Vaccine Initiative” would remind students from middle school through college to get a protective flu shot. “People think that influenza kills elderly Americans only. But every year about 100-150 children die from influenza; many were previously healthy teenagers. The influenza vaccine is the best way to protect your children against a disease that can be surprisingly fierce,” added Dr. Offit. Today marks the first day that the flu shot will be available to all adolescents as federal health officials have lifted restrictions, thereby allowing healthy people to get vaccinated - not just those at high risk for flu complications. Among the other findings from the PKIDs’ survey were:
Complete survey results, including tables and graphs, are available online at www.pkids.org/tvi.htm. PKIDs (Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases) is a national nonprofit organization that supports families touched by chronic, viral infectious diseases including viral hepatitis and HIV/AIDS, and educates the public about effective disease prevention. Created in 1996 by parents seeking ways to help their children face the physical, emotional and social challenges of these diseases, PKIDs also provides information about the latest medical treatments, civil rights protections and pertinent information on family issues through its volunteers, publications, listservs, staff and website (www.pkids.org). ###
Important disclaimer: The information on pkids.org is for educational purposes only and should not be considered to be medical advice. It is not meant to replace the advice of the physician who cares for your child. All medical advice and information should be considered to be incomplete without a physical exam, which is not possible without a visit to your doctor. |
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