Unvaccinated Kids Behind Largest U.S. Measles Outbreak in Years: Study

[Ian David]

Unvaccinated Kids Behind Largest U.S. Measles Outbreak in Years: Study
Vaccination and quick public health response are limiting these outbreaks, experts say

THURSDAY, Oct. 20 (HealthDay News) -- The largest U.S. outbreak of measles to occur in 15 years -- affecting 214 children so far -- is likely driven by travelers returning from abroad and by too many unvaccinated U.S. children, according to new research.

The finding could highlight the dangers of a trend among some U.S. parents to skip the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine for their children, out of what many experts call misguided fears over its safety.

<snip>

Most of those sickened were not vaccinated against the disease, CDC researchers said.

Before the vaccine became available in the 1960s, some three to four million people contracted measles every year. Of those, 48,000 were hospitalized, 1,000 were permanently disabled and about 500 died, the CDC said.



More:
http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=658034

[kestrel91316]

1. Entirely predictable. Entirely avoidable.

Vaccines are always safer than the disease they prevent. People are morons.

[Devil_Fish]

2. I saw a nifty App. for demonstrating Vac v. Un-vac population.

I wish some one would post it up again. Basically it comes down to this: Herd immunity. if the population is > 95% vaccinated, the chance of a disease spreading and killing people even the un-vac is minimal. any less the 90% and the vac becomes almost pointless.

I was worried about vac at first, but I've learned that they no-longer use thimersol (Mercury Derived preservative) in vac.

I blame this outbreak on the anti-vacers. Your stupidity endangers us all.

D_F

[laconicsax]

3. Thimerosal was never in the MMR. n/t

[Devil_Fish]

4. granted, So what is the big deal that the anti-vacers get in a tizzy about?

and what gives them the right to endanger me and my family?

[laconicsax]

6. A lot of it started with Wakefield.

He was paid to fabricate a study undermining the MMR vaccine AND was waiting to profit with his own rival vaccine. That study started a lot of anti-MMR/MMR-autism hysteria that well-meaning morons latched onto. After the MMR was acquitted, it became thimerosal, and after that was taken out of vaccines, you're left with the die-hard anti-vaxers who selfishly put their own stupidity above the public good.

There's also a faction of anti-vaxers who have always been anti-vax.

[BadgerKid]

9. Here's an educational app to play with.

http://www.shodor.org/featured/DiseaseModel/

[slutticus]

5. Yes, entirely predictable.

Also predictable is the fact that this thread will likely not end well....

[pnwmom]

7. U.S. vaccination rates remain as high as ever --

at 90%, according to the article. The problem appears to be when people here travel to locations where vaccination rates are lower.

Also, according to the article, there were a significant number of cases among people who were fully vaccinated against measles, which is a concern.

[laconicsax]

8. "The problem appears to be when people here travel to locations where vaccination rates are lower."

Yep.

[Devil_Fish]

10. being vaccinated against a disease is not a grantee that you won't get it. NT

[SheilaT]

11. Bingo! Sometimes the vaccine isn't completely effective.

They often wear off after time.

Which is not to say people shouldn't get vaccinated, but it's crucial they understand the limitations.

The other thing I'm constantly arguing is that actually getting the disease results in better, permanent immunity. Some diseases, like smallpox, are so terrible that getting them simply isn't a very good idea. Others, like measles, mumps, chicken pox -- all the old childhood diseases -- are in the whole relatively benign. Yes, there are those who suffer terrible consequences, but the vast majority get them and recover. My honest concern is that in a few generations there will be no natural immunity to a great number of diseases, and the population will be vulnerable to any number of things that might occur.

Flame away.

[laconicsax]

12. That is one of the most ignorant things I've read on this forum. n/t

[SheilaT]

16. Really? Pointing out that specific vaccines

are not always 100% effective, or that they wear off in time is ignorant?

What's ignorant is to not understand those things.

[laconicsax]

18. No, the paragraph about immunity.

It's never better to get a disease for the sake of "better immunity."

[SheilaT]

19. I was rather specifically pointing out that

those of us who got certain diseases before the vaccines came about, have a permanent immunity. Which applies also to those who got things like smallpox, and recovered, were left with a permanent immunity. I'm not suggesting we all get smallpox, but among the reasons there's a generalized freak-out about the possibility of smallpox getting loose (and why it hasn't all been destroyed long since totally escapes me) is that the vaccine has not been given routinely since the late 1970's. Even those of us who originally were vaccinated, and in some cases received multiple vaccinations, may no longer be fully immune.

Again, I was just making a factual statement about the nature of immune status, not an anti-vaccination statement.

[Ian David]

13. Vaccines are now an extension of our immune system in the same way tools are extensions of our hand

You don't argue, "Unless we stop using hammers, humans will lose the ability to drive a nail with their bare hands."

[LeftishBrit]

14. No; just as looking before you cross the road isn't a guarantee that you won't get run over

However, you are much *less likely* to get run over if you look than if you don't; and you are much *less likely* to catch diseases if you are vaccinated against them than if you aren't.

[Odin2005]

15. Anti-Vaxers are dangerous morons.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

17. yup and only in america do we not see them for the scientific illiterates that they are

in any other society, they would be dismissed in a heartbeat as uneducated opinions

[LeftishBrit]

20. Unfortunately, that's not entirely true

Wakefield was British, and his anti-MMR views were initially spread by the British tabloid press, especially the Daily Mail.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

21. i suppose i should have said first world. if this happened in india

firstly, the first world would have laughed it off as the ignorance of those in the third world

secondly, the only people who are anti vaccination in india, are people who are legitimately illiterate. i dont understand why people who can read believe in such fantastical things.

[mzmolly]

22. Fascinating that unvaccinated adults never play

a role in disease transmission. That, and/or waning vaccine immunity. :eyes: