Update on immunizations in adults

Vaccine-preventable diseases contribute significantly to the morbidity and mortality of U.S. adults. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updates its recommended adult immunization schedule annually. The most recent updates include the permissive but not routine use of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine to prevent genital warts in males; a single dose of herpes zoster vaccine for adults 60 years and older, regardless of their history; replacing a single dose of tetanus and diphtheria toxoids (Td) vaccine with tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine in adults 19 years and older who have not previously received Tdap; expanding the indications for pneumococcal polyvalent-23 vaccine to include all adults with asthma and all smokers; annual seasonal influenza vaccination for all adults; and booster doses of meningococcal vaccine for adults with high-risk conditions. It is vital for family physicians to implement a systematic approach to adult immunization that is patient-, staff-, and physician-focused.