2006 year in review

December 2006

Of the hundreds of articles that ran in Infectious Disease News through November this year, we asked our editorial advisory board to vote on the 10 that they deemed to have the most significant impact on the clinical practices of infectious disease specialists.

Although our selection criteria were not scientific, Chief Medical Editor Theodore C. Eickhoff, MD, agrees that these 10 articles represent some of the year’s best research in the field of infectious disease. These stories signify major news in the field that may alter the way infectious disease specialists will practice in the years to come.

New vaccine recommendations

New vaccine recommendations from the FDA were some of the most important stories in 2006. The Infectious Disease News editorial board voted for stories about vaccine recommendations among the top 10 most important for the year.

The herpes zoster vaccine received much attention this autumn. The vaccine was unanimously recommended for adults aged 60 or older by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The new approval, intended to prevent shingles, was based on a study showing that people in this age group who received the vaccine developed shingles at half the rate of those who received a placebo.

Earlier this year, the ACIP also recommended routine vaccination with the human papillomavirus vaccine for girls aged 11 to 12 years. Girls as young as 9 years can also be immunized, and girls and women aged 13 to 26 years can also receive the vaccine. Prior to this recommendation, the FDA approved Merck’s vaccine against HPV as a prevention against cervical cancer, precancerous genital lesions and genital warts caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18. Although there are more than 100 types of HPV, the types included in the vaccine cause about 70% of cervical cancer cases and 90% of genital warts.

Other vaccines recommended by the ACIP this year include the rotavirus vaccine and the tetanus, diptheria and pertussis (TDaP) vaccine. The rotavirus vaccine is now recommended for infants at 2 months, 4 months and 6 months of age. The TDaP vaccine is recommended for health care workers two years after their last tetanus and diphtheria toxoid vaccination.

On the horizon

The year was full of important stories that represent the ever-changing field of infectious disease. The Infectious Disease News editorial board voted the changing epidemiology of Clostridium difficile as one of the most significant stories of the year. Infectious disease specialists from around the country and throughout the world have recently seen an increase in cases of Clostridium difficile, even in patients that have not been traditionally considered at risk. In addition, the strains appear to be more virulent and more resistant to pharmacotherapy. Some doctors worry that this will be an increasingly important issue in the future.

Issues on the horizon garnered much attention this year. Another major story in 2006 was the spread of avian influenza. Although a major outbreak of avian influenza has not yet been seen in the United States, many worry that such an outbreak could be on its way. Avian influenza has been reported in Asia, particularly in Indonesia. Earlier this year, cases were seen in Europe for the first time.

HIV/AIDS news

This year marked the 25th anniversary of HIV/AIDS. Infectious Disease News devoted extensive coverage to this milestone this year. A quarter-century after its initial outbreak, HIV/AIDS continues to dominate headlines in both the medical and mainstream press.

This year, major changes in HIV testing were handed down by the CDC. The new HIV testing guidelines state that HIV testing should be a standard part of medical care for all patients aged 13 to 64. In addition, HIV testing is now recommended as a regular part of prenatal screening for all pregnant women. These new recommendations are expected to have a significant effect on health care in the United States.

As always, we welcome reader comments about the relevance of our Top 10 articles on actual clinical practice.

Jay Lewis
Managing Editor
jlewis@slackinc.com