School nurses are at the forefront of health care providers for many families of junior high and high school students and are used as primary sources of information and guidance about recommended student vaccinations. In the case of the relatively new vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV), school nurses must be both knowledgeable about the…

Objective: To evaluate school immunization records and document the immunization coverage and compliance level of children enrolled in kindergarten in Phoenix during the 2001-2002 school year. The purpose was to obtain information on: 1) immunization status by age two; 2) under-immunization in kindergarten; 3) administration error; and 4)…

Research has shown that children less than 5 years of age are at high risk of serious flu-related complications. It is estimated that more than 20,000 children less than 5 years old are hospitalized due to flu each year in the U.S. Many more have to go to a doctor, an urgent care center, or the emergency room because of flu. Complications from the…

It has been suggested that the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR) is a cause of regressive autism. As MMR was used in Japan only between 1989 and 1993, this time period affords a natural experiment to examine this hypothesis. Data on 904 patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) were analyzed. During the period of MMR usage no…

At least 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year in the United States, accounting for at least 4,000 deaths. Worldwide, cervical cancer is the second most common type of cancer among women. The human papilloma virus (HPV) has been linked to at least 70% of all cervical cancer. HPV can be divided into 2 categories: (a) low risk,…

The three articles in this issue of a periodical focussed on various aspects of the life and health of children in the tropics concern: (1) immune defenses; (2) interactions between nutrition disorders and infection; and (3) immunity and vaccination. The science of immunology has progressed rapidly in recent years. A brief review of present…

The CDC recently published the ACIP recommendations regarding the use of meningococcal conjugate vaccine. The report includes detailed epidemiologic and cost analysis information. At the conclusion of lengthy discussions, the ACIP voted unanimously to approve the recommendation as written. In this article, the author provides his counterreaction…

Vaccines are one of the triumphs of modern medicine, relegating many once-fearsome diseases to the history books. Denying access to school has long been the best way to ensure that children get vaccinated, but carrying out any change in immunization policy means a lot of work for school officials. This article discusses the unity of several…

Background: Cervical cancer is primarily caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and is the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality among women. Purpose: College women may be at risk for contracting HPV based on their sexual behavior. An exploratory analysis was conducted, following the release of the HPV vaccine, Gardasil[R], to (1)…

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus responsible for cervical cancer, is the most common viral sexually transmitted infection in the United States. A vaccine was approved in 2006 that is effective in preventing the types of HPV responsible for 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts. Proposals for routine and mandatory HPV…

Treatment Improvement Protocols (TIPs) are developed by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), part of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Each TIP involves the development of topic-specific best-practice guidelines for the prevention and…

This article is a synopsis of a presentation offered by the author at the recent United States Autism and Asperger Association Conference in Park City, Utah. During the USAAA conference, the author voices his concerns over the current autism epidemic. He opines that the failure of the medical profession and many governmental and other public…

Unless there are contraindications, there are seven diseases for which the Centers for Disease Control recommends all children be vaccinated: (1) diphtheria; (2) measles; (3) mumps; (4) pertussis; (5) poliomyelitis; (6) rubella; and (7) tetanus. The 748 references in this bibliography relate to various aspects of these vaccines and the diseases…

While the United States rubella immunization program has controlled epidemic rubella, endemic rubella activity still occurs and affects primarily adolescents and young adults. (Author)

This study forms part of the preparation of communities for HIV-preventive vaccine trials in South Africa. On the basis of the assumption that attitudes to any HIV vaccine or vaccine trials will partly be influenced by experiences of vaccination in general, this study aimed to investigate knowledge of, attitudes to, and experiences of vaccination…