One of every four teenage girls took the medically prescribed vaccine for four types the human papillomavirus and cervical cancer last year, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed.

The ratio was based on the agency's 2007 phone survey of 1,500 girls aged 13 to 17, though the health officials' recommendation is for girls to start the Gardasil vaccination as early as age 11 or 12, before sexual activity starts

The anthrax vaccine appears to be just as effective and causes few side effects if its dosage is reduced and its administration is changed to intramuscular injection, new study has found.

The current anthrax vaccine adsorbed (AVA) vaccine is given in six doses -- at zero, two and four weeks then again at six, 12 and 18 months -- below the skin, or subcutaneously, with annual boosters

A new study has found that flu shots for pregnant women can help protect babies from the flu until six months of age.

There is currently no flu vaccine for babies under six-months-old, but babies in that age group are more likely to be hospitalized for the virus than any other age group

African health ministers signed here Thursday a declaration to use a new meningitis vaccine to immunize 250 million people in Africa.

The Yaounde Declaration was signed by the ministers on the fourth day of the five-day 58th session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa. Under the document, health authorities in 25 countries composing the "meningitis belt" in Africa will introduce the new meningococcal A conjugate vaccine (MenAfriVac) from 2009 to 2015 to control the brain disease epidemic in the region

The U.S. government has recommended adding GlaxoSmithKline Plc's Rotarix vaccine to the choices for immunizing infants against the deadly intestinal virus that causes diarrhea and vomiting in children. Rotarix is a liquid and given in a two-dose series to infants from 6 to 24 weeks of age.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has already endorsed Merck and Co Inc's RotaTeq saying both are equally effective. There are many different strains of rotavirus. The vaccine protects against rotavirus gastroenteritis caused by the G1, G3, G4, and G9 strains