Answers about Vaccines

There are many reasons for vaccinating, the most important of which is to prevent disease. Some of the diseases previously held at bay by immunization programs are coming back into developed nations. Click the link above for further explanation.

Read more about vaccine safety at the CDC website, including recommended schedules for receiving vaccinations.

To follow outbreaks, see ProMED_mail on Twitter, they link to news alerts and articles. Current alerts include Measles in New Zealand. Previous outbreaks have included Measles in the UK and U.S., H1N1 influenza, and plague (yersinia pestis).

The MMR vaccine

Do you wonder why we vaccinate with MMR? I've written a synopsis here.

An excerpt:

Three dangerous viruses once required separate vaccinations but are now protected against by one. Monovalent vaccines are available for all three viral infections, but routine use of the MMR vaccine containing all three began 20 years ago (1989). The vaccine is given as two injections. The first dose is given...

Measles and Rubella

I have written synopses of the childhood viral diseases Measles and Rubella.

The take away information - children between 12 and 15 months of age should receive the MMR vaccine, with a booster at least 4 weeks later or by the time they enter Kindergarten (4-6 years of age) to confirm immunity.

Women who are planning on getting pregnant should be tested for Rubella to ensure their immunity. Those who are not immune should be vaccinated for Rubella at least 28 days prior to becoming pregnant to prevent birth defects. 25% of women who are susceptible to rubella and exposed to the virus in their first trimester have babies with eye defects, heart defects, hearing loss, mental impairments, and movement disorders.

Salmonella vaccine research in space

With the launching of the space shuttle on May 31, vaccine research may get a boost. Salmonella has been shown to have increased virulence in space, but it loses virulence during research here on Earth. This has been an obstacle for developing a vaccine against the bacterium. Now, researchers at the International Space Station may be able to produce a vaccine strain in space for use in human vaccines on Earth. They're starting by testing several strains, which were onboard Discovery on Saturday.

Now if they can only make space travel simpler, and re-entry safer, this may have promise.

Salmonella vaccine lift-off at The Scientist

Meningitis vaccine not for everyone

The ACIP has released new recommendations about the vaccination of children aged 2 to 10 for meningitis.

"At its February 2008 meeting, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) decided not to recommend routine vaccination of children aged 2 – 10 years against meningococcal disease unless the child is at increased risk for the disease," the report states. "This report summarizes the deliberations of ACIP and the rationale for its decision and restates existing recommendations for meningococcal vaccination among children aged 2 – 10 years at increased risk for meningococcal disease. ACIP continues to recommend routine vaccination against meningococcal disease for all persons aged 11 – 18 years and those persons aged 2 – 55 years who are at increased risk for meningococcal disease."

The ACIP decision not to recommend routine vaccination against meningococcal disease for all children aged 2 to 10 years was based on reviews of safety and immunogenicity data, the epidemiology of meningococcal disease, cost-effectiveness analysis, and programmatic considerations.

The report was published in the May 2 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The quote is from Medscape.

Adult boosters recommended

A list of seven vaccines you need right now was published by CNN's health channel. It's a good reminder that as adults age we may lose immunity to childhood diseases. I myself need to look into an MMR booster. I'll be moving up towards Canada, which has had Mumps outbreaks, and Measles is making a comeback as I noted earlier. Also, due to whooping cough (pertussis) making its way back into the mainstream, I'm going to opt for the Tdap version of the Tetanus booster when I get my update, which I'm due for this year I think.

It's particularly important to be up-to-date as an adult as childhood vaccine compliance decreases. I'm not sure anyone under the age of 60 who has no chronic disease or immune suppression requires the shingles vaccine, but that article is a decent reminder that infectious disease knows no age.