Australian Immunisation Handbook - 9th edition released

The 9^th edition of the Australian Immunisation Handbook is now available. It provides clinical guidelines for health professionals on the safest and most effective use of

vaccines in their practice, as well as information on new vaccines and vaccine preventable diseases in Australia. 

Its clinical recommendations are based on the best scientific evidence available at the time of publication from published and unpublished literature. The recommendations were developed by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) and endorsed by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

 

The handbook includes timelines and advice including on immunising against polio, meningococcal, chickenpox, pneumococcal and rotavirus.

 

This edition includes new chapters on rotavirus and the human papillomavirus (HPV).

 

The vaccine against rotavirus protects children against severe diarrhoea, which is responsible for 10,000 hospitalisations, 22,000 emergency department visits and 115,000 GP visits every year for children under five years of age.

 

The HPV vaccine protects women against certain strains of the virus, known to cause seven out of 10 cases of cervical cancer.

 

The publication is available online at the Australian Immunisation Handbook website, and may be ordered through the Immunise Australia Program publications page.

 

HealthInsite has topic pages on Immunisation and Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Immunisation Programs.

 

Created April 21 2008