Another Measles Death
People sometimes ask why this blog is all about vaccines when it is supposed to be about autism. Of course it is not all about vaccines. But it must seem like that because a lot of the time I am responding to the argument that vaccines are a cause of autism. Why do I bother when there is no scientific basis for any of the supposed pathways?
MMR was only ever supported by the work of one team of researchers grouped around Wakefield and working for the lawyers pursuing claims for compensation against the vaccine manufacturers. The testimony of Bustin and Chadwick at the Omnibus Autism Proceedings demonstrated the flawed nature of much of that research. Other scientists have failed to replicate Wakefield’s findings and epidemiological studies have shown no connection between autism and MMR.
Thiomersal, a mercury based preservative that used to be found in minute quantities in some childhood vaccines, has also been blamed. A speculative paper suggested similarities between the symptoms of mercury poisoning and autism. This idea was thoroughly debunked but the idea persisted because the growth in reported prevalence of autism in the USA coincided with an increase in the number of vaccines containing thiomersal. Advocates for this theory never adequately explained why autism numbers in the UK were growing at least as fast as those in the USA while the number of thiomersal containing vaccines [TCVs] in the UK never increased. And when TCVS were eliminated from the recommended childhood vaccine schedule in the USA in 2002 the numbers continued to rise.
The latest “theory” that we give our children “too many too soon” and overwhelm their natural defenses ignores the simple fact that advances in vaccine development mean that the entire vaccine schedule contains less active ingredients than ever before. A single dose of smallpox vaccine with 200 antigens contained more antigens on its own than all today’s vaccines put together. And in 1960 smallpox plus polio plus diptheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccines delivered 3,200 antigens!
“Too much too soon” is part of the “Green Our Vaccines” campaign. It is coupled with a spurious argument about toxins in vaccines. The Green Our Vaccines list of alleged toxic ingredients has been thoroughly dismissed. There are some potentially toxic chemicals used in vaccine production. These have all been tested for safety and are necessary to prevent contamination during production, storage and delivery of vaccines. I wonder how many of us use equally potent ”toxins” to cleanse work surfaces on which we prepare food for our children.
Their “science” is non-existent. But the anti-vaccine element have proved impossible to ignore because the media continue to give them publicity. And this publicity has contributed to the decline in vaccine uptake, paticularly the MMR. For example last month the Daily Telegraph published a ridiculous story entitled “MMR; the debate that will not go away.” Yesterday the Telegraph, with no apparent sense of shame, carried another story, “Teenager dies of Measles as cases continue to rise, Government officials say.”
This young man did have problems with his immune ystem which made it difficult for him to have vaccinations. Instead he relied on the “herd immunity” conferred on society when sufficient people are vaccinated to prevent a disease taking hold. 95% is usually held out as the threshold figure. But thanks to previous scare stories in papers like the Telegraph coverage is much lower. 84% of two year old have had the MMR. But only 75% of 5 year olds have had their second shot. In London the situation is worse with figures of 71% and 50% respectively according to the Independent. Measles is once again becoming endemic in the UK with 461 cases so far this year.
Most cases are thankfully not fatal. But they can still cause terrible illness. A woman in Blackpool nearly lost her daughter to the complications of measles.
Leah, who picked up the disease from her brother, was rushed into Blackpool Victoria Hospital on June 4 and kept on a drip for four harrowing days.
Mrs Hartley explained: “She had an horrendous sounding cough, a sky-high temperature, an upset stomach, conjunctivitis and she couldn’t stay awake.
“At one point she woke up and was hallucinating so she started screaming and crying, it really was terrifying.
“My mind was racing and I didn’t think she was going to pull through it – I never would have believed measles could make anyone so ill.”
Out of curiosity I visited the JABS forum. JABS claims to be neither pro nor anti vaccine. But it comes across as anti-vaccine and a supporter of the mmr-autism connection. Both the Telegraph report on the death from measles and the Independent report on the rise of measles were posted there on Saturday afternoon. Thus far at 1.00am on Sunday morning the young man’s death has been read 29 times with no comments. But the Independent report on the endemic has attracted 88 readers and comments like these.
Natural measles exposure is the best immunity you can get so I would imagine many parents will welcome this news with open arms.
One case of measles [in which a young man dies] makes the front page thousands of cases of autism unmentioned…agenda or what???
MMR RIP
if they can now justify mentioning individual measles cases, [He means a measles death]when normally they dismiss them in favour of epidemiology, then this must give the green light to discussing adverse reaction individual cases??
I will continue to post stories about vaccines in order to remind myself of what happens when quackery combines with conspiracy theory to drive out reason and compassion. Let us hope that the need to post such stories will diminish as the link between vaccines and autism is finally severed.
Comment by Jennifer | June 22nd, 2008
I had measles as a child. I had a high fever, and I did hallucinate. I remember this very clearly - a makeshift bed had been set up in the livingroom because my mother had to be in attendance at all times - too risky to leave me upstairs for even a moment. I was having all sorts of strange visions, and I remember clearly my mother coming over and listening to my incoherent speech, and asking me if I was hallucinating. I can remember very clearly thinking to myself - “yes, hallucinating. That’s the correct word for what’s going on here.”. I was about 6 years old.
I recovered. But I would never put a child (or a parent) through that kind of worry.
Comment by mark | June 22nd, 2008
Mike
the whole notion of herd immunity in this country is frankly rediculous.
London and densely populated areas in the north have large numbers un vacinated migrant workers and communities, large numbers of people travel to and from eastern europe, africa and asia. this is where wild measles is coming from.
maybe in cumbria its not like this?
It’s easy to blame “ANTIVAX” groups for the fall in the take up of MMR but I can’t believe this is true. If you look at the number of stories about measles outbreaks and amount of positive information about MMR and weigh this against the impact on the news of groups like JABS and CRYSHAME you will see it is insignificant . The average new mum knows nothing about these groups but still they mistrust the information about MMR.
its gossip that is fueling the mistrust in this country,I am starting to believe that everybody knows a mother of a child with autism who blames vacinnations. I don’t believe the government or health authorities will ever stop the gossip of mums. A personal account from a friend will always have greater influence than the words of a TV doctor or a set piece DOH news report.
Comment by Mike | June 22nd, 2008
Mark,
I think you are worrying yourself unnecessarily about foreigners bringing in measles. According to the World Health Organization measles infection across the whole of Europe was 6,817 cases in 2007 compared to 55,734 in 2006. The figures for the first two months of 2008 are 839.
If we look at the Jan/Feb 2008 figures for the European Union there are 363 cases. 145 are in the UK. 158 are in the old EU. The newer member states from Eastern Europe contribute 60 cases between them and 52 of them are in Romania. Poland, which does send a lot of migrant workers to the UK has 7 cases. The other one is in Slovakia. I think if i lived in Eastern Europe I would be more concerned abouut migrant workers bringing infection back from the West, rather than the other way round.
The country with the largest number of cases is neither in the EU nor the former soviet bloc and it is not noted for high levels of immigration from the less developed world. Switzerland with only 78% coverage has 428 cases. Switzerland is widely credited with being the source of a recent measles outbreak in the USA after unvaccinated US children returned from a holiday there.
I am glad you mentioned Africa. Thanks to a continuing campaign of mass vaccinations measles deaths in Africa fell by 91% between 2000 and 2006, from an estimated 396,000 to 36,000. That is good news I think.
And I think you will find that I do not blame JABS for the low MMR uptake. I blame the media. JABS is an insignificant group. Unfortunately this fact is lost on those elements of the media who invariably go to JABS for a quote every time there is a vaccine story. The BBC even links to their website.
Comment by mark | June 22nd, 2008
Mike
Measles has to come from somewhere Mike, Try bringing a pet into the country without a full compliment of jabs.
I can only think of 3 articles in the last six months.
The Wakefield trial was Unreported as were the hannah poling case Kirby’s visit and the DC rally.
I personally believe all these news worthy in the UK but no one except yourself and Kev seem to talk about them. perhaps it would be in your best interest not to.
As i said the public has lost confidence in MMR and the DOH need to look at why their policies are failing , heaping blame on mums is not going to work.
Comment by Mike | June 22nd, 2008
Mark,
it does not really matter where the measles comes from. International travel guarantees that measles virus will turn up at airports. if you recall, the current outbreak in the USA was caused by unvaccinated American children bringing the virus back from a holiday in Switzerland. The unvaccinated children of the worried well who go on foreign holidays are equally likely to bring the virus back to Britain.
There is no need to invoke the frankly distasteful idea of migrants spreading disease. The irony is that in California migrants are blamed for the continuing growth in autism because they are supposed to have been vaccinated in their country of origin with thiomersal containing vaccines.
Regarding news coverage, there has been a steady stream of scare stories about MMR and autism going back over 10 years. If the stories are drying up now that is good. I am especially pleased that even after the advance publicity he got from the Telegraph, David Kirby’s visit to Britain was a flop. I am delighted that the nonsensical Green Our Vaccines demo in the USA never made the news here and was largely ignored stateside as well. The Poling case is hardly relevant at all unless you believe that there is a lot more mitochondrial disease out there than we previously thought. If so let us hope that we can maintain herd immunity for their sakes. Even a cold can have devastating consequences for a child with a mitochondrial disease.
And finally, Mark, what do you think we ought to do to restore confidence in MMR and prevent a measles epidemic in this country?
Comment by mark | June 22nd, 2008
Mike
I have no suggestions, other than to offer parents a choice of singles. if this will stop an epidemic then that is what needs to happened.
The idea is to protect the people and not the reputation of MMR and its sponsors.
Comment by Mike | June 23rd, 2008
Mark
you could always add your voice to those of us who say that MMR does not cause autism.
Comment by mark | June 23rd, 2008
Respectfully, personal experience prevents me
Comment by Thomas D. Taylor | July 6th, 2008
Midnight In Chicago has a podcast out that is free to the public entitled “Autism and Vaccines: Part I and Part II”. In it, the public will learn from the latest research that there is no scientific evidence that vaccines or thimerosal cause autism.The links to the articles cited in the audio podcast are present so that people can read the research themselves.
The podcasts may be found here: http://www.mic.mypodcast.com
Comment by stuart holmes | August 7th, 2008
The problem is today’s children have poor diets and little exercise. Any disease will get to them.
Mt son goes to a Steiner school. Few children are vaccinated - my son, along with a few others got Measles… no problem. His body was strong and he came through it easily.
All these diseases will help make the body stronger - there is nothing more stupid than injecting the ‘crap’ doctors do into infants.