Learning Objectives for this Presentation:
By the end of the presentation participants will be able to describe the response by providers to the State recommendation of an accelerated immunization schedule for pertussis in infants.


Background:
Control of pertussis outbreaks starts with surveillance of suspected cases, prophylaxis of contacts and implementation of an accelerated pertussis vaccination schedule.


Setting:
Communities within Arizona experienced significant increases in pertussis cases and some implemented strategies to control. An outbreak of pertussis was declared in Pima County on March 30, 2005 and a county recommendation to adopt the accelerated DTaP schedule was made on April 4, 2005. On May 19, 2005, a statewide outbreak was declared for Arizona, and a recommendation was made to adopt the accelerated pertussis schedule. The statewide outbreak was declared over in October 2005 except in Pima County, which continues to see excess pertussis cases.


Population:
There are 28,484 children 0–16 weeks of age in Arizona. Of these, 78.3% are concentrated in Pima and Maricopa counties.


Project Description:
DTaP administration was studied for children born between January 2005 and June 2005 to determine whether and how rapidly providers adopted the accelerated schedule.


Results/Lessons Learned:
In Pima County, the first affected region, prior to April 2005 5% of children received DTaP at 6 weeks and 25% at 8 weeks. DTaPs given at 6 weeks began to increase in May and by July 2005, 26% received DTaP at 6 weeks. In Maricopa, the major population center of Arizona, prior to May 2005 1.2% of children received DTaP at 6 weeks. Our findings show adoption of the accelerated schedule began in June and by July 2005 17% of children received DTaP at 6 weeks and 13% at 8 weeks.
The registry is an effective tool to monitor response to public health recommendations.