CDC updates vaccine recommendations, approves 9-valent HPV vaccine

the Clinical Advisor take:

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has voted to include the new 9-valent HPV strain vaccine in their HPV immunization recommendations, among other updates to vaccine recommendations.

In December, the 9-valent HPV strain vaccine (Gardasil-9) was licensed for use in females aged 9 to 26 and males aged 9 to 15. Based on a review of clinical trials, the committee determined the new vaccine was more cost effective and had 97% efficacy compared with the current 4-valent HPV vaccine. With the addition of five strains, the new vaccine protects against 14% more HPV cancers for women and 5% more for men.

However, the committee stresses that they did not express a preference for one vaccine over the other. They have also not yet addressed the issue of revaccination for those who have already been vaccinated with the 4-valent HPV vaccine. They plan to address this issue in their upcoming June meeting.

For the meningococcal group B vaccine (three-dose Trumenba and two-dose Bexsero), the committee recommends them to people aged ≥10 in high risk groups, including:

• People with persistent complement component deficiencies
• People with anatomic or functional asplenia
• Microbiologists who are routinely exposed to Neisseria meningitis bacteria
• People exposed to a serogroup B meningococcal disease outbreak

In June, the committee plans to discuss extending the meningococcal group B vaccine to first-year college students, since there have been several recent breakouts on college campuses.

The committee changed its recommendations on the flu vaccine. Previously, they recommended that people from ages 2-49 should get the LAIV when immediately available; they now express no preference for LAIV over the inactive vaccine.

The committee also decided that most travelers do not need to get 10-year booster doses of the yellow fever vaccine, except for those who were compromised during their first dose or who spend an extended period of time in a high-risk setting. This decision comes as a result of the World Health Organization’s conclusion that one dose of the vaccine generally protects the person for life.

In June, the ACIP will meet again to further discuss vaccine recommendations.