''Immunisation against infectious disease'', popularly known as ''The Green Book'', provides information on vaccines for

vaccine-preventable diseases A vaccine-preventable disease is an infectious disease for which an effective preventive vaccine exists. If a person acquires a vaccine-preventable disease and dies from it, the death is considered a vaccine-preventable death. The most common and ...

. It acts as a guide to the UK's vaccination schedule for health professionals and health departments that give vaccines in the United Kingdom. The first two editions were published in 1992 and 1996. A third edition in 2006, was the last to appear in print. Updates have since been added by its clinical editors through advice and recommendations from the

Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is an independent expert advisory committee that advises United Kingdom health departments on immunisation, making recommendations concerning vaccination schedules and vaccine safety. ...

(JCVI) and appear only online as individual chapters via the immunisation section of the GOV.UK website. As of 2021 it includes updates on

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

Purpose

''Immunisation against infectious disease'' is popularly known as ''The Green Book'', to provide information on the UK's vaccination schedule and vaccines for vaccine preventable infectious diseases. It is a guide for health professionals and health departments that give vaccines in the UK. Updates are added by its clinical editors through advice and recommendations from the

(JCVI), as accepted by the Secretaries of State. Larger updates may also need consultations with UK health departments and public health bodies, MHRA, vaccine manufacturers,

NHS England NHS England, formally the NHS Commissioning Board for England, is an executive non-departmental public body of the Department of Health and Social Care. It oversees the budget, planning, delivery and day-to-day operation of the commissioning si ...

, National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC), as well as the clinical editors.

Publication

The first two editions were published by the

HMSO The Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) is the body responsible for the operation of His Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO) and of other public information services of the United Kingdom. The OPSI is part of the National Archives of the U ...

in 1992 and 1996. The third edition, published by

The Stationery Office The Stationery Office (TSO) is a British publishing company created in 1996 when the publishing arm of Her Majesty's Stationery Office was privatised. It is the official publisher and the distributor for legislation, command and house papers, s ...

in 2006, replaced the 1996 edition and was the last to appear in print.

2006 edition

The 2006 edition of ''The Green book'' has 468 pages, divided generally into two parts, preceded by a contents page, acknowledgements and preface, and followed by two indexes, one of vaccines by proprietary name and the other of vaccines by common name.

Part one: principles, practices and procedures

Part one, titled "principles, practice and procedures", has 12 chapters which include how vaccines work, storage and distribution, vaccine safety and adverse events, immunisation schedule and immunisation of healthcare and laboratory staff. How to give a vaccine is described in chapter four, common side effects in chapter eight and how to fill in a

yellow card Yellow card may refer to: * Yellow card (sport), shown in many sports after a rules infraction or, by analogy, a serious warning in other areas * Yellowcard, an American alternative rock band * Yellow Card Scheme, a United Kingdom initiative co ...

in chapter nine (updated 2013). * Immunity and how vaccines work * Consent * Storage, distribution and disposal of vaccines * Immunisation procedures * Immunisation by nurses and other health professionals * Contraindications and special considerations * Immunisation of individuals with underlying medical conditions * Vaccine safety and adverse events following immunisation * Surveillance and monitoring for vaccine safety * Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme * Immunisation schedule * Immunisation of healthcare and laboratory staff

Part two: diseases, vaccinations and vaccines

Diseases and their vaccines are listed in alphabetical order and include all vaccines recommended in the routine immunisation programme for all children in the UK. Vaccine requirements for travellers and for contacts of people with infectious disease are included. The 2006 edition incorporated the then new vaccines for meningococcal group C and pneumococcal infections, included the cessation of the school's BCG programme and the introduction of the Hib-MenC booster at 12 months of age. Diseases included: *

Anthrax Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Bacillus anthracis'' or ''Bacillus cereus'' biovar ''anthracis''. Infection typically occurs by contact with the skin, inhalation, or intestinal absorption. Symptom onset occurs between one ...

Cholera Cholera () is an infection of the small intestine by some Strain (biology), strains of the Bacteria, bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea last ...

Diphtheria Diphtheria is an infection caused by the bacteria, bacterium ''Corynebacterium diphtheriae''. Most infections are asymptomatic or have a mild Course (medicine), clinical course, but in some outbreaks, the mortality rate approaches 10%. Signs a ...

* Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) *

Hepatitis A Hepatitis A is an infectious liver disease caused by Hepatitis A virus (HAV); it is a type of viral hepatitis. Many cases have few or no symptoms, especially in the young. The time between infection and symptoms, in those who develop them, is ...

Hepatitis B Hepatitis B is an infectious disease caused by the '' hepatitis B virus'' (HBV) that affects the liver; it is a type of viral hepatitis. It can cause both acute and chronic infection. Many people have no symptoms during an initial infection. ...

Influenza Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These sympto ...

Japanese encephalitis Japanese encephalitis (JE) is an infection of the brain caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). While most infections result in little or no symptoms, occasional inflammation of the brain occurs. In these cases, symptoms may include he ...

Measles Measles (probably from Middle Dutch or Middle High German ''masel(e)'', meaning "blemish, blood blister") is a highly contagious, Vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccine-preventable infectious disease caused by Measles morbillivirus, measles v ...

* Meningococcal *

Mumps MUMPS ("Massachusetts General Hospital Utility Multi-Programming System"), or M, is an imperative, high-level programming language with an integrated transaction processing key–value database. It was originally developed at Massachusetts Gen ...

Pertussis Whooping cough ( or ), also known as pertussis or the 100-day cough, is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable bacterial disease. Initial symptoms are usually similar to those of the common cold with a runny nose, fever, and mild cough, bu ...

* Pneumococcal *

Polio Poliomyelitis ( ), commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 75% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe ...

Rabies Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. It was historically referred to as hydrophobia ("fear of water") because its victims panic when offered liquids to drink. Early symptoms can include fever and abn ...

Rubella Rubella, also known as German measles or three-day measles, is an infection caused by the rubella virus. This disease is often mild, with half of people not realizing that they are infected. A rash may start around two weeks after exposure and ...

Smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by Variola virus (often called Smallpox virus), which belongs to the genus '' Orthopoxvirus''. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (W ...

and

vaccinia The vaccinia virus (VACV or VV) is a large, complex, enveloped virus belonging to the poxvirus family. It has a linear, double-stranded DNA genome approximately 190 kbp in length, which encodes approximately 250 genes. The dimensions of the ...

Tetanus Tetanus (), also known as lockjaw, is a bacterial infection caused by ''Clostridium tetani'' and characterized by muscle spasms. In the most common type, the spasms begin in the jaw and then progress to the rest of the body. Each spasm usually l ...

Tick-borne encephalitis Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a virus, viral infectious disease involving the central nervous system. The disease most often manifests as meningitis, encephalitis or meningoencephalitis. Myelitis and spinal paralysis also occur. In about one ...

Tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

Typhoid Typhoid fever, also known simply as typhoid, is a disease caused by ''Salmonella enterica'' serotype Typhi bacteria, also called ''Salmonella'' Typhi. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often ther ...

* Varicella * Yellow fever

Online version

The online version was published in 2013. Updates appear only online as individual chapters via the immunisation section of the GOV.UK website. These have included

respiratory syncytial virus Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), also called human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) and human orthopneumovirus, is a virus that causes infections of the respiratory tract. It is a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Its name is derive ...

and

rotavirus Rotaviruses are the most common cause of diarrhea, diarrhoeal disease among infants and young children. Nearly every child in the world is infected with a rotavirus at least once by the age of five. Immunity (medical), Immunity develops with ...

in 2015, and

human papillomavirus Human papillomavirus infection (HPV infection) is caused by a DNA virus from the ''Papillomaviridae'' family. Many HPV infections cause no symptoms and 90% resolve spontaneously within two years. In some cases, an HPV infection persists and r ...

in 2019. As of 2021, the online version stays divided into two parts, in the same way as the 2006 edition, and includes updates on

shingles Shingles, also known as herpes zoster or zona, is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a localized area. Typically the rash occurs in a single, wide mark either on the left or right side of the body or face. T ...

and

. According to Andrew Pollard, ''The Green Book'' should be "bookmarked" in all child clinics and notes that similar information can be obtained from the US

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the National public health institutes, national public health agency of the United States. It is a Federal agencies of the United States, United States federal agency under the United S ...

website. It is a recommended source by the

Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, often referred to as the RCPCH, is the professional body for paediatricians (doctors specialising in child health) in the United Kingdom. It is responsible for the postgraduate training of pa ...

Editors

* 1996 - David Salisbury, Norman T. Begg * 2006 - David Salisbury, Mary Ramsay, Karen Noakes * 2021 - Mary Ramsay

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Green Book Vaccination Medical books