New U.S. adult vaccine guidelines released

A division of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has released a new recommended immunization schedule for U.S. adults as as last week, according to a report in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

The new guidelines for 2007-2008 apply to U.S. adults only and call for many changes from last year's guidelines. Some of the highlights are below:

• Chicenpox vaccination is recommended for all adults with no apparent immunity to the virus.
• Shingles vaccination is advised for all adults 60 years of age and older, regardless of whether they have had a prior shingles episode.
  

Another interesting change is the suggestion to use a vaccine shown to prevent the virus-caused cervical cancer for along with a whopping cough vaccination for adults. Additionally, a second dose of mumps vaccine is suggested for adults working in a health care facility.