CDC updates immunization schedule recommendations

ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday published an updated "Immunization Schedule for Adults Aged 19 Years or Older, 2014," in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 

The primary updates for the 2014 schedule include adding Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine to the figures and updating information in the footnote about persons for whom Hib vaccine is recommended; adding information to the influenza vaccine footnote and contraindications table regarding the newly licensed recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV) and information about the use of RIV and inactivated influenza vaccine among persons with egg allergies; moving the footnote for pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) recommendations before the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) recommendations because PCV13 should be administered first among persons for whom both vaccines are recommended; and clarifying information about the timing of the second and third doses of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, use of meningococcal vaccines among adults and recommendations for tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) and tetanus and diphtheria (Td) vaccines (9–10).

Because of space limitations, many details of the full ACIP recommendations for each vaccine are not included in the schedule, and interested healthcare providers should refer to the full ACIP recommendations. In addition, changes in recommendations for specific vaccines might occur between annual updates to the adult immunization schedule. ACIP recommendations for specific vaccines are available at CDC.gov/vaccines/hcp/acip-recs/index.html.