Infectious diseases are a leading killer in the United States and worldwide. In the United States, vaccination is required for entry to schools, many camps, colleges, and some occupations. Adults, too, should review their vaccination status for the following reasons: you may not have received any or all vaccines as a child; newer vaccines may not have been available when you were a child; immunity can wane over time; as you age, you become more susceptible to serious disease caused by common infections; you may travel to areas where rare infectious diseases are much more common; or you may come in contact with people who have been exposed to unusual infectious diseases. Most recently, the FDA has licensed several new vaccines: human papillomavirus (HPV), varicella-zoster virus, and meningococcus (a second meningococcal vaccine). The HPV vaccine is recommended for females beginning at 11 or 12 years old through 26 years old. This vaccine protects against the 4 most common HPV strains that are responsible for 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts. Ideally, girls should receive the vaccine before they become sexually active. Studies that included 11,000 girls and women, 9 to 26 years old, showed that the vaccine was safe and had no serious side effects. Because the vaccine doesn’t protect against all viruses that can lead to cervical cancer, women should continue to have regular Pap smears. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the varicella-zoster virus vaccine for people more than 60 years old to prevent shingles and to reduce shingles-associated pain. (Shingles is caused by the chickenpox virus, which remains in the body after an initial bout of chickenpox and may emerge many years later to cause the painful condition known as shingles.) Children are routinely vaccinated for hepatitis A but many adults have not been vaccinated because the vaccine is relatively new. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends it for all people. A further addition to the existing vaccine arsenal is the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4), which is ad-ministered to combat bacterial meningitis. This vaccine is recommended for adolescents and some adults. Even if you have received all your childhood vaccinations, ask your doctor whether you need any booster shots
(Source: Healthbeat, Harvard Health Publications, October 2008)
