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Children who are not vaccinated against pertussis have 23 times the chance of contracting the illness than those who are immunized, the June issue of Pediatrics reports.
Researchers based their findings on the Kaiser Permanente Colorado HMO records of 156 pediatric pertussis cases confirmed in a laboratory and nearly 600 matched controls. Twelve percent of the cases were children whose parents refused at least one pertussis vaccination for nonmedical reasons.
The authors of the study say their findings dispel the notion that children who are not vaccinated are not at risk for contracting vaccine-preventable diseases.
Immunization requirements for Texas schoolchildren have changed. On March 5, the Texas Department of State Health Services released revisions [PDF] to the state requirements to be more in line with recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The requirements will be phased in from 2009 to 2022.
Action, June 3, 2009
Last Published: 6/2/2009 Print this page
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