Summary of Major Changes in the 1994 Red Book: Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases

The 1994 edition of the Red Book was recently published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), providing the most recent recommendations and guidelines for prevention, control, and treatment of infectious diseases in infants and children.1 These recommendations and guidelines are based on information available through 1993 and replace those given in the 1991 Red Book. To aid physicians and other health care professionals in assimilating new recommendations and information into their practices, a summary of major changes is given in the Red Book. This summary, with minor changes, is reprinted here. Subsequent recommendations of the AAP are published as Committee statements in AAP News and Pediatrics. In keeping with the current 3-year intervals between editions of the Red Book, the next edition is anticipated no later than 1997. Major changes in recommendations and related information in the 1994 Red Book are summarized as follows: 1. Immunization recommendations. The schedules for routine immunization, including changes in recommendations for Haemophilus influenzae type b, hepatitis B, measles, and oral polio vaccines have been revised. In view of the increasing complexity of the immunization recommendations for infants and children, particular attention should be given to the comments and footnotes in these schedules. In addition, because licensure of new vaccines and revised recommendations after publication of the Red Book will result in continuing changes, the Committee anticipates the publication of an updated immunization schedule each year in the interval before the next edition of the Red Book is published. 2. Guidelines on active immunization.