Welcome to the Vaccines and Immunizations website.
Skip directly to the search box, site navigation, or content.

Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Vaccines & Immunizations

Glossary / Acronyms:

Acronyms and Abbreviations

AAP
American Academy of Pediatrics
AAFP
American Academy of Family Physicians
AAHP
American Association of Health Plans
ACASA
Adult Clinic Assessment Software Application
ACIP
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
ACOG
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
AFIX
Assessment, Feedback and Incentives Exchange
AIDS
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
AIM
Association of Immunization Managers
AIRA
American Immunization Registry Association
AKC
All Kids Count
ASD
Autism-spectrum disorder
ASTPHLD
Association of State and Territorial Public Health Laboratory Directors
ATPM
Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine
ATSDR
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
BCG
Bacillus of Calmette and Guérin (tuberculosis vaccine)
BRFSS
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
BSE
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
C. tetani
Clostridium tetani
CBER
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (FDA)
CCID
Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases
CDC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CF
Complement fixation
CI
Confidence Interval
CII
Childhood Immunization Initiative
CIRSET
Committee on Immunization Registry Standards and Electronic Transactions (an organization that is no longer in existence as May 2006)
CISA
Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment Centers
CJD
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
CMS
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
CMV
Cytomegalovirus
CoCASA
Comprehensive Clinical Assessment Software Application
COID
Committee on Infectious Diseases (AAP)
CPHA
Commission on Professional and Hospital Activities
CRS
Congenital rubella syndrome
CSF
Cerebrospinal fluid
CSTE
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
CVID
Common variable immune deficiency
DAT
Diphtheria antitoxin
DFA
Direct fluorescent antibody
DHHS
Department of Health and Human Services
DMD
Data Management Division
DoD
Department of Defense
DPT
Replaced by use of DTP. See DTP for description.
DRSP
Drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumonia
DT
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids, pediatric formulation, for children 6 weeks to 7 years of age
DTP
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and whole-cell pertussis vaccine, pediatric formulation
DTaP
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine, pediatric formulation
EBV
Epstein-Barr virus
ECBT
Every Child By Two
EIA
Enzyme immunoassay
ELISA
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
ELR
Electronic laboratory reporting
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency
EPO
Epidemiology Program Office
ESD
Epidemiology and Surveillance Division
FAMA
Fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen
FDA
Food and Drug Administration
FHA
Filamentous hemagglutinin
FIM
Fimbriae
GBS
Guillain-Barre Syndrome
GMC
Geometric mean antibody concentration
GMT
Geometric mean tiler
GSK
GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals
HA
Hemagglutinin
HAI
Hemagglutinin Inhibition
HAV
Hepatitis A virus
HBcAg
Hepatitis B core antigen
HBIG
Hepatitis B immune globulin
HBeAg
Hepatitis B e antigen
HBsAg
Hepatitis B surface antigen
HBV
Hepatitis B virus
HCFA
Healthcare Financing Administration
HCP
Healthcare personnel
HCV
Hepatitis C virus
HDV
Hepatitis D virus (delta agent)
HHE
Hypotonic, Hyporesponsive Episode
Hi
Haemophilus influenza
HI
Hemagglutination inhibition
Hib
Haemophilus influenza type b
HICPAC
Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee
HIV
Human Immunodeficiency Virus
HL7
Health Level 7
HMO
Health Maintenance Organization
HPV
Human papillomavirus
HRSA
Health Resources and Services Administration
HSCT
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant
IAC
Immunization Action Coalition
IAVG
Interagency Vaccine Group
IBD
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
IDSA
Infectious Disease Society of America
IFA
Indirect fluorescent antibody
IG
Immune globulin
IgE
Immunoglobulin E
IHS
Indian Health Service
IIS
Immunization Information Systems
IL-4
Interleukin 4
IL-10
Interleukin 10
IM
Intramuscular
IND
Investigational new drug
IOM
Institute of Medicine
IPOM
Immunization Program Operations Manual
IPV
Inactivated poliovirus vaccine
IRB
Institutional Review Board
IRC
Immunization Registry Conference
ISD
Immunization Services Division
IU
International units
IV
Intravenous
JE
Japanese encephalitis
LA
Latex agglutination
LAIV
Live, Attenuated Influenza Vaccine
Lf
Limit of flocculation unit
LIS
Laboratory information system
LQA
Lot quality assurance
LTC
Long-term care
MCO
Managed care organization
MCV
Measles-containing vaccines
MCV4
Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (quadravalent)
mIU
Milli-international unit
mL
Milliliter
MMR
Measles-mumps-rubella vaccine
MMRV
Measles-mumps-rubella, and varicella vaccine
MMWR
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
MPSV4
Meningococcal polyscaccharide vaccine (quadravalent)
MOU
Memorandum of understanding
MR
Measles-rubella vaccine
MS
Multiple Sclerosis
MSAEFI
Monitoring System for Adverse Events Following Immunization
NA
Neuraminidase
NACIC
National Advisory Committee of Immunization in Canada
NCCLS
National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards
NCHS
National Center for Health Statistics
NCID
National Center for Infectious Diseases
NCIRD
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
NCRSR
National Congenital Rubella Syndrome Registry
NCVIA
National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (of 1986)
NEDSS
National Electronic Disease Surveillance System
NETSS
National Electronic Telecommunications System for Surveillance
NHANES
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
NHIS
National Health Interview Survey
NIC
National Immunization Conference
NIH
National Institutes of Health
NIIW
National Infant Immunization Week
NIP
National Immunization Program (replaced by NCIRD in 2007)
NIS
National Immunization Survey
NIVW
National Influenza Vaccination Week
NMA
National Medical Association
NNDSS
National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System
NNii
National Network for Immunization Information
NPI
National Partnership for Immunization
NVAC
National Vaccine Advisory Committee
nvCJD
new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
NVICP
National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
NVPO
National Vaccine Program Office
OPV
Oral poliovirus vaccine
P&I
Pneumonia and influenza
PAHO
Pan American Health Organization
PCR
Polymerase chain reaction
PCV7
Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (7-valent)
PFP
Partnership for Prevention
PHA
Passive hemagglutination
PHF
Public Health Foundation
PHLIS
Public Health Laboratory Information System
PHPPO
Public Health Practice Program Office
PHS
Public Health Service
PHTN
Public Health Training Network
PMIRWG
Program Managers Immunization Registry Work Group
PPD
Purified protein derivative, (tuberculin)
PPV23
Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (23-valent)
PRAMS
Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System
PRMA
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America
PRN
Pertactin
PRV
Pentavalent rotavirus vaccine
PT
Pertussis toxin
QA
Quality assurance
QALY
Quality Adjusted Life Year
RASH
Rapid Surveillance Helper
RET
Reportable Events Table
RET
Reportable Events Table
RIA
Radioimmunoassay
RNA
Ribonucleic acid
RSD
Residual Seizure Disorder
RST
Registry Support Team
SAE
Serious adverse event
SCHIP
State Children's Health Insurance Program
SCID
Severe combined immune deficiency
SIDS
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
SHC
State health coordinator
sp
Saniofi Pasteur
SPSS
Supplementary Pertussis Surveillance System
SSPE
Subacute, sclerosing panencephalitis
STD
Sexually transmitted disease
STI
Sexually transmitted infection
subQ
Subcutaneous
Td
Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids, adult formulation, for person 7 years and older.
Tdap
Tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis vaccine, adolescent/adult formulation
TIG
Tetanus immune globulin
TIV
Trivalent (inactivated) influenza vaccine
TT
Tetanus toxoid
TWG
Technical Working Group (Immunization Registry)
VAE
Vaccine adverse event
VAERS
Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System
VAPP
Vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis
VAR
Varicella vaccine
vCJD
Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
VFC
Vaccines for Children
VHC
Vaccine Health Centers
VHSP
Viral Hepatitis Surveillance Program
VICP
Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
VIG
Vaccinia immune globulin
VMBIP
Vaccine Management Business Improvement Project
VIS
Vaccine Information Statement
VISI
Vaccine Identification Standards Initiative
VODS
Vaccine Ordering and Distribution System
VPD
Vaccine-preventable disease
VRBPAC
Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee
VSD
Vaccine Safety Datalink project
VZIG
Varicella-zoster immune globulin
VZV
Varicella-zoster virus
WBC
White blood-cell count
WHO
World Health Organization
WIC
Women, Infants, and Children Program
YF
Yellow Fever
ZOS
Varicella zoster virus vaccine

top of page

 Return to Terms main page

This page last modified on July 30, 2007
Content last reviewed on April 4, 2007
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases

Quick Links

Safer Healthier People

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30333, U.S.A
Public Inquiries: 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636); 1-888-232-6348 (TTY)

Vaccines and Immunizations