Calif. whooping cough: 9 dead, infections on rise

[mzteris]

LOS ANGELES — State health officials reported Thursday that California is on track to break a 55-year record for whooping cough infections in an epidemic that has already claimed the lives of nine infants. At least 4,017 cases of the highly contagious illness have been reported in California, according to the state. Data from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control show 11,466 cases nationwide, though the federal numbers are known to lag behind local reporting. Whooping cough is a cyclical illness that peaks in number of infections every five years. Symptoms are similar to the common cold, making it a challenge to diagnose, which in turn makes it difficult for officials to determine if the worst has passed, said Dr. Gil Chavez, an epidemiologist for the California Department of Public Health.

snip

All of the whooping cough-related deaths in California occurred in babies too young to be fully immunized against the illness, which is why parents and caretakers are being urged to get booster shots. Typically, babies are given a series of vaccinations, then receive booster shots between ages 4 and 6 and again after age 10. Many parents forgo vaccines for their children because of concerns about autism, typically fueled by misinformation on the Internet, said Dr. Mark Sawyer, a University of California-San Diego professor and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The vaccines against whooping cough are free of the additive thimerosal, a preservative containing mercury that has been the subject of a long-running public debate about whether it can cause autism.

. . ."We need to remember that vaccines are probably the biggest reason that so few of us lose our children when they are young," said Dr. Patricia Samuelson, speaking on behalf of the California Academy of Family Physicians. "They used to say in this country, 'Don't count your children until after they've had measles' because so many would die."

An Associated Press analysis found that 127 of the 7,174 public and private schools in California reported 2009 whooping cough immunization rates of 50 percent or less for kindergartners.

edit - add link: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jVl8x9u-v_Wg32vK1ircWXZ9d-1wD9I99EBG0


Oh - and PLEASE VACCINATE!

[Windy]

1. Do you have a link for this? I want to send it to some anti vaccination in laws.

Thanks

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. Send them this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v_85tAey9s

[mzteris]

6. sorry -

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jVl8x9u-v_Wg32vK1ircWXZ9d-1wD9I99EBG0


I edited to add and then forgot to add! what a day.

[stray cat]

3. We need a vaccine -oh wait, we have one that some people don't use

[pnwmom]

10. We don't have one for parapertussis, which causes similar symptoms

and is hard to distinguish. I'm wondering how many of those cases are true pertussis. Since the numbers are so out of line with what the CDC is reporting.

[Confusious]

11. Yea, they give a job at the CDC to anyone who comes of the street

and says he's a doctor. If you haven't showered or shaved it's an immediate 200,000 a year to make mistakes like that.

Oh, :sarcasm:

[pnwmom]

13. I don't think you understand what I was saying.

The CDC is reporting far fewer cases for California than California is, and it can't be because of a few weeks of "delay" in reporting. Maybe California is counting some unconfirmed or "suspicious" cases that the CDC doesn't count.

[Confusious]

17. I understood, and gave it the full amount of thought it was worth

The article says 4000 california, 11000 nationwide from the CDC. I don't see where the problem is.

As far as unconfirmed cases, I believe those would be kept off, or in their own category. Otherwise, it's bad science to include them in the numbers.

So what again is your problem?

Is it that vaccines might actually be worth something? It can't be an actual disease that could be prevented by a shot! It has to be something else. Or the doctors are so incompetent that that can't tell one disease from the other, and they would never think of sending blood to a lab to get it checked.

[pnwmom]

22. As of May 2010, the CDC was reporting 27 cases in California for the year.

The state of California was reporting 1400 over the same period of time. However, California includes "confirmed, probable, and suspect" cases. If the CDC only counts confirmed cases, that could explain the discrepancy.

[Confusious]

27. States don't report cases on a case by case basis

They do so during a period, like every three months, so if an outbreak happens, there is going to be lag.

If there was a bad epidemic, the CDC would be called in

[pnwmom]

30. In August, California reported its cases for 2010 month-by-month.

Their report states that it includes "confirmed, probable, and suspect" cases -- which is probably why the state counts so many more pertussis cases in California than the CDC does (over the same period of time).

The CDC reports that between Jan and May 29, 2010, there were 27 cases of pertussis in California. The State of California reports, for Jan-May, having had about 1400 "confirmed, probable, or suspect" cases of pertussis. The same kind of discrepancy, though smaller, occurs in CDC and California numbers reported for the year of 2009.


For more details and links to both CDC and California data, see post #24, below.

[mzmolly]

50. The adult booster is rather new and not widely

used. It's also necessary given newer science indicates pertussis protection from vaccination, isn't long lasting.

What is certain, however, is that vaccine-induced immunity against infection does not persist throughout adulthood. In France, booster vaccinations have been recommended for adolescents and teenagers<18>. We found that immunity does not even persist into early childhood in some cases. We also observed that DPT vaccine does not fully protect children against the level of clinical disease defined by WHO. Our results indicate that children ages 5-6 years and possibly younger, ages 2-3 years, play a role as silent reservoirs in the transmission of pertussis in the community. More studies are needed to find the immunologic basis of protection against infection and colonization and thus an effective way to eradicate pertussis.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/414768_

[Bozita]

4. Outbreaks were reported last week in Ann Arbor and Columbus.

It's posted in the Health Forum.

[arbusto_baboso]

5. And the push to deny vaccinations to "illegal alien" children will only worsen this trend.

Too bad the nativist bigots can't see the natural results of their desires.

[pnwmom]

9. I agree -- that's an incredibly short-sighted and stupid idea. n/t

[blondeatlast]

23. +1. Responsible parents can't get them for the kids--and my kid has to

attend school with the progeny of irresponsible parents.

:mad:

[pnwmom]

26. If yours is vaccinated that shouldn't be a problem, right? n/t

[CreekDog]

29. vaccinating a child is only part of protecting them from this disesase

vaccinating other children is a key part to protecting even a vaccinated child.

[HuckleB]

31. +1,000,000,000

[pnwmom]

32. The CDC says that the main problem isn't with child vaccinations now,

it's that adults and teens aren't getting the pertussis vaccination that has been available since 2005.

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/other/news/sep...

"The survey shows that immunization of children 19 to 35 months old against vaccine-preventable diseases is high," Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said at a morning news teleconference. "Fewer than 1% of children did not get any vaccines at all."

"Today's report is generally very reassuring despite concerns we've seen in the past about whether parents are continuing to have their children vaccinated," Schuchat said.

SNIP

Regarding pertussis vaccination and the California epidemic, Schuchat commented, "We think the principal challenge there is ongoing pertussis transmission in teens and adults," not vaccine coverage in babies and toddlers.

Calling the California epidemic "serious," she said the CDC is working with California health officials to promote booster vaccination of teens and adults. "Other people who are around young babies really do need to get the DTaP vaccine," she said. "It was licensed in 2005, and many adults didn't know you were supposed to get it."

[CreekDog]

35. but they are less likely to get it from a vaccinated kid than an unvaccinated one!

and both of those are less likely to get it if they are BOTH vaccinated, and their friends, etc., etc...

[pnwmom]

36. But they are more likely to get it from an unvaccinated ADULT.

That's the population that's least likely to have immunity.

And their friends, etc., etc.

[mzteris]

42. or rather an adult who hasn't gotten a booster... n/t

[mzmolly]

71. Same thing, according to CDC statistics.

If a child doesn't have a booster they fall into the 'un-vaccinated' or 'under-vaccinated' category.

[mzmolly]

56. I disagree. At least an unvaccinated person might consider they're contageous

with something serious vs. assume they can't possibly transmit the disease.

[CreekDog]

67. an unvaccinated person is going to know if they have whooping cough?

pretending to be all scientific again are we?

[mzmolly]

70. An unvaccinated person may be more likely to consider

it a possibility, yes.

[CreekDog]

76. so what are you recommending, that people get vaccinated or not?

:shrug:

[mzmolly]

79. I recommend choice based upon accurate information. However, if I had an infant I'd probably

get the adult pertussis booster.

[CreekDog]

81. and your child?

at what point would you vaccinate them?

[mzmolly]

86. I was told by the CDC that vaccinating against pertussis is about protecting others.

Specifically those under six months old, not so much the child being vaccinated. This is because one isn't considered vulnerable to serious complications from pertussis unless one is < 6 months, given the lungs aren't fully developed. And, a child is not considered protected until they've had the fourth booster at about 15-18months. So, getting this vaccine for my child would depend upon if my child were in a position to expose a younger sibling, and/or if he/she had a health condition that made him or her vulnerable. I would also take into consideration my family health history and the likelihood of a reaction to a particular vaccine vs. the likelihood of contracting pertussis and so on. In other words, I'd be thoughtful about the decision and measure the risk v. benefit.

If there is an outbreak of a dangerous disease, I'll be the first in line in making sure my family is up to date with X vaccine.

[pnwmom]

97. If I were a new parent, I would also consider

spreading out the vaccines, so that other vaccines aren't given the same day as the DPT.

The only reason they give so many at once is convenience -- fewer appts. with the doctor. I'd rather make more trips to the doctor and put less stress on the baby's immune system. Also, if there were side effects, it would be easier to nail down which vaccine caused the problem.

[mzmolly]

99. I agree.

I am excited about the new vaccine patch and plant technology as well. Supposedly the technology is safer given lower dosing and less formaldehyde/mercury etc.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9148316&mesg_id=9155362

Professor Kendle has shared that he has now managed to discover that the nano patch also utilized about 100 times less vaccine.

...

Professor Kendle explained that a square patch is placed on the skin for about two minutes to administer a vaccine and the researchers have managed to achieve as good or better performance with the patch with a mere 100th of the amount of doses, as is achieved when the vaccines are administered via needle.

Isn't that cool? :D

[pnwmom]

100. Very interesting. n/t

[mainer]

85. Why aren't people getting their tetanus vaccinations?

The combined DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus) should cover it.

Tetanus is horrifying and easily preventable. We should be getting a booster every 10 years, minimum.

[dflprincess]

106. As a rule adults only got tetanus boosters

or a tetanus/diptheria (TD Adult,7+) booster. (the 7+ indicates a dosage given only to those over 7 years old). With the resurgence of pertussis I imagine we may see that added back into the adult booster.

[mzmolly]

53. From the CDC dispatch

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol6no5/srugo.htm

"The effects of whole-cell pertussis vaccine wane after 5 to 10 years, and infection in a vaccinated person causes nonspecific symptoms (3-7). Vaccinated adolescents and adults may serve as reservoirs for silent infection and become potential transmitters to unprotected infants (3-11). The whole-cell vaccine for pertussis is protective only against clinical disease, not against infection (15-17). Therefore, even young, recently vaccinated children may serve as reservoirs and potential transmitters of infection."

[CreekDog]

68. you're quoting one study to undermine an entire field

the same field no less.

you have an agenda.

[mzmolly]

69. How does a study by the AAP undermine anything? If anything at all, it should

encourage YOU and other adults, to get the tdap booster.

[CreekDog]

74. i remember this exchange

and i did get the vaccination.

[mzmolly]

77. You're a two percenter because of me?

I'm flattered! Please take me off your 'anti-vaccine' list pronto! ;)

[Codeine]

7. Anti-vaxxers have blood on their hands.

Scientifically-illiterate fucks.

[pnwmom]

16. If you haven't had a DPaT vaccine since 2005, then you're part of the problem. n/t

[Codeine]

19. I work with the public, so I'm a human pincushion.

All immunizations up to date.

[pnwmom]

21. Up-to-date doesn't mean you've had the TDaP.

The DT was only given once every ten years, so most doctors would wait until you were due before giving you the TDaP. The TDaP only became available 5 years ago, so there are millions of people who are up-to-date (had their last shot between 5 and 9 years ago) and haven't yet had it.

In other words, unless you've had a TDaP within the last five years, being up-to-date doesn't mean you've had one.

[HuckleB]

33. It's amazing how many excuses and diversions they will push in an attempt to evade scrutiny.

Here's one example of their many diversions debunked:

Q: NVIC seems to be implying that parapertussis is the cause of the outbreak and that is not covered by the vaccine. Aren’t many cases, especially those hospitalized or the deaths, confirmed by PCR?

A: Parapertussis is also circulating and pertussis vaccine does not provide protection against parapertussis. However, we do not think parapertussis is the cause of our epidemic because most of the reported pertussis cases in California are laboratory confirmed to be pertussis. In addition, parapertussis does not kill healthy young infants. Tragically, there have been seven infant deaths in Calfornia this year, all of whom had laboratory confirmed pertussis.

From -- The California pertussis outbreak of 2010
http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/2010/08/the-california-pertussis-outbreak-of-2010/

[mzmolly]

57. "The whole-cell vaccine for pertussis is protective only against clinical disease, not against

infection. Therefore, even young, recently vaccinated children may serve as reservoirs and potential transmitters of infection."

CDC DISPATCH http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol6no5/srugo.htm

[pnwmom]

8. Pertussis IS hard to diagnose and those numbers might be exaggerating

the number of cases. There is something called parapertussis, for example, that has very similar symptoms but is not prevented by the vaccine.

I have trouble believing that California's cases are more than 1/3 of all the cases in the country. I wonder how California is counting its cases compared to how the CDC does it?

[Confusious]

12. They have these things called labs

and they look at blood samples there, and they can be 99% sure of what it is.

Doctors don't use chicken bones anymore.

[pnwmom]

14. There is a huge discrepancy between the number of cases

California is reporting, and the number that the CDC says that California has had -- and the discrepancy can't be explained by a few weeks delay in reporting time.

One possibility is that California has a lower bar for reporting "suspicious" cases.

[Confusious]

18. What discrepancy?

4000 in California, 11000 nationwide.

Any low bar would be bad science. They would be left out of the numbers or in their own category. Including them would make the report meaningless.

I just think it's a try at deflecting.

It can't be a disease that could be prevented with a shot. It must be something else. Maybe the doctors (how many would you say, 10, 100?) are incompetent and can't diagnose disease and can't even think of sending blood in to get a correct answer.

[pnwmom]

24. California includes "confirmed, probable, and suspect" cases in their numbers.

That's a pretty low bar, and would leave a lot up to the doctor's individual level of suspicion. I'm not sure I'd agree with you that California is practicing "bad science," however. They've labeled their cases; now it's up to others to decide how to interpret the data. OTOH, as more and more doctors are educated to "suspect" pertussis, this could artificially drive the reported numbers up.


Here the State of California lists “confirmed, probable, and suspect cases” of pertussis.

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/immunize/Documents/Pertussis%20report%208-24-2010%20-%20For%20Release.pdf

"To date (8/24/2010), there have been 3,311 confirmed, probable and suspect cases of pertussis reported in 2010 for a state rate of 8.5 cases/100,000. This is a 7-fold increase from the number of reported cases during the same time period in 2009 when 454 cases were reported (Figure 1)."


Here’s the discrepancy between the State’s and the CDC’s numbers:

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5921md.htm

For 2009, the CDC reports a yearly total of 148 cases of pertussis in California

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/immunize/Documents/Pertussis%20report%208-24-2010%20-%20For%20Release.pdf

For 2009, California reports a yearly total of 454 cases of pertussis in California

This same pattern holds during January – May 2010, with CA reporting more cases (about 1400 cases) than the CDC does (27 cases) for California.

California’s figures include “confirmed, probable and suspect” cases. Since the CDC’s reported numbers are so much smaller, I’m assuming that they consist only of confirmed cases.

__________________________________

(By the way, pertussis can be a difficult disease to diagnose, and lab tests do not always confirm it, either, depending on how long the patient has had the cough. One of the things it can be difficult to differentiate from is "walking pneumonia," but, fortunately, both can be treated with the same type of antibiotic.)

[haele]

54. The other issue comes from where you get your diagnosis -

Urgent Care clinics or walk-in clinics where the doctor maybe takes a throat culture and an x-ray as well as listens to your chest and takes your temp, but ultimatly says "hmmm, looks and sounds like it could be purtussis, take these anti-biotics and decongestants, wear a mask for two weeks, and get lots of rest and liquids, and come back if if you don't start getting better in two-three weeks".
No blood test to verify and send to the CDC. Just an electronic report of a visit with a possible diagnosis "possible severe infection of the upper bronchial and sinus passages or purtussis"
No "verified" diagnosis, and hey, if the anti-biotics work, then who cares?
When the kidlet went to a reputable Urgent Care four months ago with a low-grade fever, serious congestion, vomiting, and a weak feeling, and a nasty, hollow cough the doctor thought it could be purtussis, but just gave her two weeks worth of anti-biotics and told her to follow up with her regular doctor, and to take it easy for at least a week.
He probably knew she wasn't going to follow up with a regular GP - most people don't because it takes a fortnight just to get the appointment, and by then, if they're feeling better, they blow it off.
So, whether or not she had whooping cough, the verifying test was never done. She's one of the "probables".

Haele

[pnwmom]

104. Right. And states where doctors have a high "index of suspicion"

are going to have higher numbers of "probable" cases. That doesn't mean they are all, or even mostly, pertussis.

When my doctor suspected pertussis in my son, he did the culture and it turned out to be negative. My son had walking pneumonia. Fortunately, they use the same course of antibiotics for both illnesses.

[mzmolly]

73. And the presumption of pertussis has certainly become

more likely, given the recent hype. :hi:

[mzmolly]

72. Keep in mind, tests for pertussis are only highly accurate for a given

period of time.

[pnwmom]

15. Please vaccinate yourself, too! The CDC believes that most of the CA cases

were due to the spread of infections from adults and teens whose immunity had worn off -- as opposed to inadequate vaccinations among babies and toddlers.

Formerly, only the DT vaccine (diptheria-tetanus) was available for adults; but since 2005 the DPaT (including pertussis) has been available for teens and adults.

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/other/news/sep1610childvax-jw.html

"The survey shows that immunization of children 19 to 35 months old against vaccine-preventable diseases is high," Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said at a morning news teleconference. "Fewer than 1% of children did not get any vaccines at all."

"Today's report is generally very reassuring despite concerns we've seen in the past about whether parents are continuing to have their children vaccinated," Schuchat said.

SNIP

Regarding pertussis vaccination and the California epidemic, Schuchat commented, "We think the principal challenge there is ongoing pertussis transmission in teens and adults," not vaccine coverage in babies and toddlers.

Calling the California epidemic "serious," she said the CDC is working with California health officials to promote booster vaccination of teens and adults. "Other people who are around young babies really do need to get the DTaP vaccine," she said. "It was licensed in 2005, and many adults didn't know you were supposed to get it."

[Barack_America]

20. This is one I wish I could recommend twice.

Got the new vaccine last December and am sending my husband to get it post haste.

I suspect I had whooping cough years ago before they revaccinated adults for such things. No fun. Fortunately I had no contact with children at the time.

[Deep13]

25. .

:banghead:

[bobbolink]

28. This is going to work out very well in homeless shelters.

[HuckleB]

34. "The cause is clearly the lack of vaccinations."

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/09/15/pertussis-claims-a-ninth-infant-in-california/

PS: Why we vaccinate ... http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4543301&mesg_id=4543326

[pnwmom]

37. CDC: "Principal challenge" in CA is lack of vaccination in ADULTS and teens

as opposed to lack of vaccine coverage in babies and toddlers.

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/other/news/sep1610childvax-jw.html

"The survey shows that immunization of children 19 to 35 months old against vaccine-preventable diseases is high," Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said at a morning news teleconference. "Fewer than 1% of children did not get any vaccines at all."

"Today's report is generally very reassuring despite concerns we've seen in the past about whether parents are continuing to have their children vaccinated," Schuchat said.

SNIP

Regarding pertussis vaccination and the California epidemic, Schuchat commented, "We think the principal challenge there is ongoing pertussis transmission in teens and adults," not vaccine coverage in babies and toddlers.

Calling the California epidemic "serious," she said the CDC is working with California health officials to promote booster vaccination of teens and adults. "Other people who are around young babies really do need to get the DTaP vaccine," she said. "It was licensed in 2005, and many adults didn't know you were supposed to get it."

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

38. So then you agree that everybody should go out and get vaccinated.

:shrug:

[HuckleB]

39. That's not the only issue, as you know.

[pnwmom]

40. According to the CDC, it's the "principal" factor behind the upsurge in CA.

My daughter, who lives in CA, was told that they think 25% of adult coughs in E.R.'s might be pertussis related. Why is all the attention here on baby vaccines when the pressing need now is for adults to get vaccinated?

[HuckleB]

48. The attention is on all vaccines.

[mzmolly]

80. Agreed. Where is the nudge when we visit our pediatricians, to

vaccinate parents?

[mzmolly]

78. Exactly.

:hi:

[onecent]

41. People...PLEASE do your research before being so quick to

get vaccinations because the CDC says it necessary....voluntary or mandatory.

Suggest you check out the ingredients in some of those vaccines...I, for one, will NEVER allow one to get near my body.

[Codeine]

43. Ignorant hysteria based on non-science. nt

[REP]

44. Enjoy pertussis. It's not always fatal.

[kimmerspixelated]

52. You have to be really sick to make a comment like that.

[mzteris]

60. Sometimes only the brutal truth will reach people.

What part of this do you think is "sick"? I think it's "SICK" to not vaccinate against a disease that CAN KILL YOUR CHILD - or other people's.

[pnwmom]

90. If you haven't had the TDaP within the past 5 years

then you're not vaccinated against pertussis. (It wasn't marketed until 2005.)

Since most adults get their "tetanus" shots every 10 years, the majority of adults are not vaccinated against pertussis.

[mzteris]

102. being an asthma sufferer

my doc has kept me up to date on pretty much everything, but as I'm not 100% sure about this particular booster, I will check next week. I started to put about "adult boosters" in my original OP, but didn't mention that phrase specifically figuring that most people "knew that". Maybe I was wrong - adult boosters are necessary - even oftimes for those who actually had a particular disease. I may or may not have had whooping cough as a kid - my daughter had some derivative - it all starts to blur after a while.

[REP]

83. Not at all - I get my vaccines updated.

[pnwmom]

103. But updated means every ten years, so if you had your DT

8 years ago, for example, you are not as fully vaccinated as you could be. The pertussis containing vaccine has only been available since 2005.

[REP]

107. Sigh. You're not good at this. When I say I keep my vaccinations updated, I mean just that

Even if I just did every 10 years, how do you know my decade wasn't up in 2007? Or if I needed a tetanus booster in 2009 due to an injury? Or that maybe my doctors know I'm immunocompromised and live in a state where people neglect to vaccinate their little darlings?

[mainer]

84. and tetanus and diphtheria

Jesus. Don't people remember the days when people were dying of measles and polio? But ignorance of history shouldn't force their children to suffer.

[pnwmom]

89. Actually, among adults it's often experienced just as a bad cold.

But adults with minor symptoms can spread the disease to infants who are at high risk of death.

[REP]

98. Lucky for them!

Those with chronic illnesses - not so lucky. Did you that for some adults, even a cold is a serious illness?

[pnwmom]

101. The point is that adults often don't even notice the symptoms,

so they don't realize they're spreading a dangerous disease to babies.

But with the new Tdap vaccine, they don't have to.

[mzteris]

45. don't be ridiculous

the risks of an epidemic of these diseases FAR OUTWEIGH any of the risks that a very small percentage of the population might encounter from vaccinations.

[onecent]

46. I'm just sayiin' many americans are goofy enough to listen

to ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX and other wonderful "honest" newscasts...and then run out and do what they tell us we "should do".

Research never hurt anyone....so throw me under any bus you wish....knowledge is good - especially when it doesn't some from television.

[HuckleB]

49. So give yourself some knowledge, then.

http://sciencebasedparenting.com/vaccines/

http://sciencebasedpharmacy.wordpress.com/2010/03/22/responding-to-anti-vaccine-misinformation-understanding-the-issues/

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=9

[kimmerspixelated]

55. Right, Do research before being railroaded into mass hysteria.

Big Pharma loves fear because it means big money!!!

[mzteris]

59. Big Pharma has nothing to do with this

the facts speak for themselves - before vaccinations hundreds of thousands of people died and or were permanently damaged due to DISEASES.

[mzteris]

58. who's talking "television", I'm talking SCIENCE. n/t

[kimmerspixelated]

51. I'm with you on that. Thanks for commenting.

Watch out, this group is ruthless, and they want blood. Don't let them get to you. Been there, done that!

[superduperfarleft]

61. Says the person who posted a David Icke story once.

Thanks, but I'll take the advice of medical professionals over some nutjob ranting about ZOMG BIG PHARMA!!!111onez on the internets any day. Your credibility on this issue is zero.

[Codeine]

63. Icke? Are you fuckin' serious?!

:rofl:

Classic.

[superduperfarleft]

64. Oh, it was great. It was this whole insane AIDS denialist screed.

Before it got locked, OP whined and whined about how DUers weren't "open-minded."

[Codeine]

65. Fan-fuckin-tastic.

I love this place. :hi:

[superduperfarleft]

62. Ever heard of herd immunity?

If not, google it. If so, you're welcome.

[backscatter712]

47. This is why I insist on getting my shots, just to piss off the anti-vaxxers...

I've had all my shots since I was a kid, and I'm not autistic. There's been lots of studies, and no scientific link between vaccines and autism or much else in the way of adverse effects.

OTOH, the potential consequences of not getting one's shots are well-documented - see the OP.

[HuckleB]

66. Great Blog Post: Thanks to the Anti-Vaccination Movement, Whooping Cough is Making a Comeback

http://therelativelyinterestingblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/thanks-to-anti-vaccination-movement.html

[pnwmom]

105. No, it's because adults and teens haven't been getting the vaccine for

pertussis that has been available since 2005.

Most of the cases are among babies too young to be vaccinated, and by far the largest pool of germ spreaders consists of adults and teens.

[mzmolly]

75. 98% of adults are not vaccinated against pertussis according to the AAP.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=222&topic_id=92922&mesg_id=92922

We should be concerned about teachers, caregivers, pediatricians, parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles, cousins, neighbors etc. before continually placing blame with a population that is http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=222&topic_id=92909&mesg_id=92909">generally highly vaccinated.

[mainer]

82. This is surprising. DPT should take care of that.

Everyone should be vaccinated against tetanus, and if so, they should get the combined DPT vaccine. Every 10 years at a minimum.

[laundry_queen]

87. It was not offered to me.

When I went to go get my 10 year booster, all I was given was the DT. Not sure if this is a Canadian thing or not. At the time I didn't even think to ask about pertussis (this was about 4 years ago). I think it's even more important to me because my youngest is un-vaccinated (we delay, but don't forgo). I'll have to ask when I bring my daughter in for her first shots.

[mzmolly]

92. It's not a Canadian thing.

It's just a lack of awareness I think? :hi:

[pnwmom]

88. It has only been offered since 2005 -- till then it was a DT only .

So many adults who get shots every ten years won't have one for up to 5 more years.

[mzmolly]

91. DPT isn't given to adults. TD is.

"Td is a tetanus-diphtheria vaccine given to adolescents and adults as a booster shot every 10 years, or after an exposure to tetanus under some circumstances."

Tdap is somewhat new, and isn't being used in wide numbers apparently. The DPT was considered too dangerous for adults and older children who have a stronger immune system than young children and might over react.

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/tetanus/default.htm

[pnwmom]

95. I had my last DTP when I was 11, back when they still gave them

to older kids. I only had a half dose because of my earlier reactions, but I'll never forget how sick it made me. My arm swelled up so big I couldn't get it in my winter coat. And I had a high fever for days. Hopefully the new vaccine IS much less reactive.

[mzmolly]

96. Poor thing. :( I had a similar reaction in my 20's

to the TD. Couldn't move my arm for weeks. It was horribly painful. Much worse than the original injury which prompted my Dr. visit. I agree, hopefully the new vaccine is less of an issue when it comes to reactions.

:hi:

[pnwmom]

93. Exactly. I wonder what fraction of the DUers who say they care about vaccines

have actually had the adult pertussis vaccine themselves?

[mzmolly]

94. Me too

pnwmom. :hi: