Immunization update: pertussis, meningoccocus, and human papillomavirus.

New vaccines are being recommended for adolescents at a brisk pace. Immunization is an effective preventive measure, and by bringing adolescents in for a medical intervention, the new vaccines promise not only to protect adolescents from the specific diseases they address, but also to enhance other health care services, including screening for other health risk behaviors. This article discusses the newest vaccination recommendations for adolescents pertaining to the meningococcal and tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis vaccines and reviews the human papillomavirus vaccines developed for use in the United States. With the advent of these new vaccines, the potential exists to improve adolescent health significantly through prevention, adding new incentive to increase adolescent immunization rates for all indicated vaccines.