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Updated recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for influenza vaccinations in 2017 and 2018 were recently published in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Flu vaccines are still recommended for all persons without contraindications who are ≥6 months old. The use of FluMist® Quadrivalent (LAIV4; MedImmune, Gaithersburg, MD) is not recommended because of concerns about its effectiveness.
Healthcare providers should have begun offering the flu vaccination by the end of October. Pregnant women may receive any licensed vaccine that is appropriate for their age. Children age 6 months to 8 years who are receiving their first vaccination require 2 doses, 4 weeks apart.
If 2 doses of flu vaccine were administered before July 1, 2017, only a single dose is required in 2018. Only 2 products are approved for children age 6 to 35 months: 0.5 mL FluLaval® Quadrivalent (containing 15 μg hemagglutinin per vaccine virus) or 0.25 mL Fluzone® Quadrivalent (containing 7.5 μg hemagglutinin per vaccine virus).
Two new licensures are also supplied in the update, Flublok® Quadrivalent (RIV4; Protein Sciences, Meriden, CT) and Afluria Quadrivalent® (IIV4; Seqirus, Parkville, Victoria, Australia) for use in persons ≥18 years of age. An age expansion of ≥3 years to ≥6 months for Flu-Laval Quadrivalent (IIV4; ID Biomedical Corporation of Quebec, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada) is also noted, along with new US Food and Drug Administration-consistent labelling for Afluria (IIV3; Seqirus, Parkville, Victoria, Australia) for use in persons age ≥5 years.
The released report is an abridged version of the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The full report can be viewed here.
Reference
Grohskopf LA, Sokolow LZ, Broder KR, et al. Prevention and control of seasonal influenza with vaccines: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices—United States, 2017–18 influenza season. Am J Transplant. 2017;17:2970-2982.
