The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has released the 2018 Recommended Immunization Schedule for Children and Adolescents Aged 18 Years or Younger.

The 2018 immunization schedule includes several changes from the 2017 schedule, including simplified figures and footnotes. The updates contain new or revised ACIP recommendations for poliovirus, influenza, and measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines, as well as a clarification of the recommendations for rotavirus and pneumococcal vaccines. 

Some of the figure changes include:

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  • The maximum ages for the first and last doses in the rotavirus vaccination series have been included 
  • Information on the inactivated poliovirus vaccine was updated to clarify the catch-up recommendations for children 4 years of age and older
  • A reference for use of live vaccines in patients with HIV has been added

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In addition, the footnotes were updated to include the following:

  • Hepatitis B vaccine (HepB): includes information regarding timing of the birth dose for <2,000g infants born to hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative mothers
  • H. influenzae type b: MenHibrix (bivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine and H influenzae type b conjugate vaccine) has been removed because the vaccine is no longer commercially available, and all remaining doses have expired.
  • Poliovirus vaccine: includes updated guidance for persons who received oral poliovirus vaccine as part of their vaccination series.
  • Influenza vaccine: updated to indicate that live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) should not be used during the 2017–2018 influenza season. A reference link to the 2017–2018 season influenza recommendations has been added.
  • Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR): updated to include guidance regarding the use of a third dose of mumps virus-containing vaccine during a mumps outbreak.
  • Meningococcal vaccine: edited to create separate footnotes for MenACWY and MenB vaccines.

Any clinically significant adverse events that occur after immunization should be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. 

Reference

Robinson CL, Romero JR, Kempe A, Pellegrini C, Szilagy P. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended immunization schedule for children and adolescents 18 aged 18 years or younger — United States, 2018 [published online February 6, 2018]. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6705e2

This article originally appeared on MPR

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