The United States--The Netherlands Round Table Conference on immunization. Summary report

A group of public health scientists from the United States and The Netherlands met at a Bicentennial Round Table Conference December 1-2, 1982, to discuss the latest developments in immunization against infectious diseases, focusing on pertussis, poliomyelitis, measles, and rubella. The major differences in immunization practices in the two countries are: (a) In The Netherlands, inactivated polio vaccine is used exclusively; in the United States, the oral polio vaccine is used. Polio-myelitis has virtually disappeared from both countries. (b) In The Netherlands, the pertussis component of DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) is not given to children over the age of 1 year, whereas in the United States, it is given to children up to their seventh birthday. (c) Rubella vaccine is given only to girls at ages 11-12 years in The Netherlands, but to all children at ages 12-15 months in the United States. (d) Mumps vaccine is not administered to children in The Netherlands, but in the United States it is given routinely to children at 12-15 months (in combination with measles and rubella vaccine). The participants concluded that both the United States and The Netherlands have effective immunization programs that have significantly reduced the impact of these diseases.