Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) recommended immunization schedule for children aged 0 through 18 years — India, 2014 and updates on immunization

Abstract

The major changes in the 2014 Immunization Timetable include two doses of MMR vaccine at 9 and 15 months of age, single dose recommendation for administration of live attenuated H2 strain hepatitis A vaccine, inclusion of two new situations in high-risk category of children in context with pre-exposure prophylaxis of rabies, creation of a new slot at 9-12 months of age for typhoid conjugate vaccine for primary immunization, and recommendation of two doses of human papilloma virus vaccines with a minimum interval of 6 months between doses for primary schedule of adolescent/preadolescent girls aged 9-14 years. There would not be any change to the committee's last year's (2013) recommendations on pertussis vaccination and administration schedule of monovalent human rotavirus vaccine. There is no need of providing additional doses of whole-cell pertussis vaccine to children who have earlier completed their primary schedule with acellular pertussis vaccine-containing products. A brief update on the new Indian Rotavirus vaccine, 116E is also provided. The committee has reviewed and offered its recommendations on the currently available pentavalent vaccine (DTwP+Hib+Hepatitis-B) combinations in Indian market. The comments and footnotes for several vaccines are also updated and revised.

Comparative evaluation for safety & potency of inactivated Cell Culture Rabies Vaccines from four Indian manufacturers

“…As a result, there is a huge demand for WHO approved modern cell culture rabies vaccines in India [18,19].…”

Combating the wrath of viral hepatitis in India

“…The recommended schedule is to give the vaccine in two separate doses six months apart6. Protective titre of antibodies is seen in almost 100 per cent of individuals after receiving the second dose of vaccine.…”

Recurrent intussusception in an infant

“…The 'Indian Academy of Pediatrics -Advisory Committee on Vaccines and Immunzation Practices', concludes that there is definite albeit a small risk of acute intussusception following use of current generation of rotavirus vaccines [1]. The recent study by Yih, et al [2] studied the risks of both the commercially available vaccines Rotarix (RV1) and Rotateq (RV5).…”