Posted on 10/21/2001 10:33:10 PM PDT by bonesmccoy
Just wanted to leave you all some info on Vaccinia vaccination. Basically, last I heard the small pox immunization was not being produced in the USA. There was a report today that DOD has ordered supplies from UK. Frankly, I don't know how the UK could be producing the vaccine. The only known stockpiles of the virus (after World Health Organization/UN announced eradication of the virus from Earth) were in the US and USSR. If a UK company is making vaccine, what is in the vaccine?
The old vaccine was produced using techniques that would not be licensed or approved today. So, the stockpile doesn't meet current specs. Also, my info was that the stockpile is about 20 years old.
I don't know about you guys, but I'm not about to use 20-year-old vaccine in my practice without knowing that the vaccine was needed. I certainly would not use it in our children, unless I was convinced that a threat exists.
I do have the scar from the smallpox vaccine on my arm. My doctor gave it to me in the late 1970's. So, I feel a certain measure of comfort from that knowledge. However, it is important to note that the immunologic effect of the vaccine wanes (decreases) over the years.
Talking-heads on CNN et al have been stating that those who received the vaccine may not be immune. Well, I would like to point out to those @%^*!s that the original small pox vaccine was a LIVE VIRUS. That's why your skin ended up with welts, sores, and then scarred for life. The Japanese used the Oka Chicken Pox Vaccine for 20 years before the US gov't finally got it released to our nation. Have the Japanese seen any waning immunity from Oka Varicella Zoster Vaccine (the chickenpox vaccine)? NO! Yet, there are still idiot talking-heads who are PAID to show up on some news program and to spout incorrect info that the OkaVZV vaccine has concerns about waning immunity. ACCORDING TO WHOM?
The FDA can find an answer to the question of waning smallpox immunity real fast. THOMPSON NEEDS TO TELL CDC TO COMMISSION A FOLLOW-UP STUDY ON THE OLD SMALLPOX IMMUNIZATION. Have CDC draw serum samples on our generation of kids (who got the vaccine when we were young and are now consenting adults). Confirm when the patient received the vaccine and check the sample for any antibodies to smallpox. If you find IgG antibodies (assuming we know how to locate such antibodies, which I can not vouch for), then you will know if boosters are needed in previously immunized individuals.
Vaccinia Vaccine
Vaccinia (smallpox) vaccine, a licensed product, is a preparation of infectious vaccinia virus whose origin and manipulation is FDA approved. The vaccinia is grown in the skin of a vaccinated bovine calf (2). In 1982, the only active licensed producer of vaccinia vaccine in the United States, Wyeth Laboratories, discontinued production for general use, and, in 1983, distribution to the civilian population was discontinued. Smallpox vaccination has not been required for international travelers since January 1982, and International Certificates of Vaccination no longer include smallpox vaccination.
CDC provides vaccinia vaccine for laboratory workers directly involved with smallpox or closely related orthopox viruses (e.g., monkeypox and vaccinia). Due to clinical trials involving recombinant vaccinia virus vaccines, health-care workers (e.g., physicians and nurses) may now be exposed to vaccinia and recombinant vaccinia viruses and should be considered for vaccinia vaccination (6).
There is no evidence that smallpox vaccination has any therapeutic value in the treatment or prevention of recurrent herpes simplex infection, warts, oral thrush, or any other diseases (6). Requests for smallpox vaccine for these unapproved uses cannot be granted.
Thats my understanding to. Thanks for posting this!! Common sense and calm must prevail. Panick and fear is exactly what the perps who did this to America want. I won't give it to them. I think we need to be alert.. but we also need to stay calm. Trust our Government. They are on top of this as best as can be.. we have no other choice than to trust them at this time. So lets just do that.. be alert.. be cautious.. but not fearful or panicked. I hate seeing people give in to what the terrorists want.
To those who don't understand.. a disease like SmallPox and the vaccine which is from the disease doesn't age. It is still the disease, the cells from SmallPox could be a saved forever. It doesn't matter if they are a hundred years old. They are still SmallPox. That is what the vaccine is made from. Heck.. I just read a story where they did DNA from a Dinosaur and found disease .. cultured it!! Seems that a lot of Dinosaurs had putrified skin lesions.
They are testing now to see if the existing vaccines can be diluted and still be effective. In other words.. can one vaccine serve 5 people instead of one person.
I heard that Spring of 2002 would be a likely date for completion. Right now, they could vaccinate an immediate outbreak. People in the medical field are on alert. This is actually being handled quite well (all things considered).
I do think someone previously was asleep on the job, hint hint.. especially knowing what they did at the time. But now we have to deal with the NOW.. and it "is" being handled.
Thanks again, and God Bless!!
My grandmother used to tell me how she intentionally exposed her girls to Whooping cough, to get it over with....my mom intentionally exposed us to measles,mumps and chicken pox..
Today young parents seem to think that all these are "so deadly" that immunization is a necessity
The truth is for 99.9% they were nothing more than childhood illnesses.
I do not wish small pox on this nation..but if given the choice,it wins over Eboli
In the meantime we had all better think on ways to keep our immune systems healthy..get plenty of sleep take vitamins,Garlic pills,green tea, etc, and no Alcohol...
Use good handwashing..(favor regular soap and friction over the anti bacterial type)...We have to go back to grandmas day for a while..
Why?
I was also wondering if they have a vaccination that they give cows against cowpox (I haven't stayed up on all vaccinations and meds they have for animals) ...if humans were vaccinated against cowpox, would the antibodies our bodies would produce from that vaccination...if one exists...also protect us against smallpox?
We may have to look in unconventional areas to save our kids since the government really isn't in a position at this time to help us. Just looking at alternatives.
I have read studies that the antibacterial soaps kill only 90-95% of the bacteria present..the remaining breed and are already resistant to the antibacterial contents..so in effect you end up with superbugs that are fully resistant to the antibacterial soap.there are no "weak" bugs left to "breed" with..so ya get lots of John Wayne"s.
Regular soap and GOOD friction will kill most of what is on your hands..as will scrubbing countertops etc.
That's a good idea, too.
Depite their overall irrationality, terrorists would have to calculate the potential damage not just to the U.S., but the inevitable damage to the entire world including their followers, families, and indeed to the entire third-world Islamic population (which is significantly more prone to the devastation of communicable diseases than is the Western world).
Bottom line is that communicable disease "weapons" would be absolutely suicidal to Islamic terrorists, unless they are looking for a global doomsday which would certainly be far more devastating to Muslims than to the West.
Vaccinia virus (cowpox) confers huuman immunity to smallpox, which is why it is used.
BTW, Canada has been whining that any vaccine acquisition program we conduct should "include Canada".
Agreed. Smallpox (or any communicable disease) would quickly become a global epidemic, and it would hit most effectively in third-world countries (e.g., the Middle East, South Asia, Indonesia).
It's not even the kind of gamble an Islamic terrorist would entertain, it's absolutely inevitable.
Why are they stopping the tetanus boosters?
I believe that the risks of immunization are worth it. Besides, since 1980 we have had AIDS come up and spur research into viruses, anti viral drugs, so that the statistics of adverse reactions are changed by new medical advances, even a new vaccine that they are making that will probably be alot safer than the old vaccine against smallpox.
Cowpox is a much milder disease than smallpox so if there are bad reactions they'll be along the cowpox path not smallpox. In the last few years we have been having our kids vaccinated against chickenpox which is a usually mild disease like cowpox is and the vaccination or the disease itself has a certain inherent risk of adverse reactions but people still vaccinate their kids or take them to "chickenpox parties". For the record, my kids had chickenpox before the vaccine came out and I didn't take them to a "chickenpox party".
Look at the risk I am in if bitten by a rattlesnake and if they still make that antivenom via horses. I am severely allergic to horses so I have the choice of either dealing with the venom without the antivenom or else taking the antivenom and the medical team having to stand by incase I have a severe allergic reaction to the antivenom via horse host, if they can't find an antivenom not made from horse hosts. We all have to put up with certain risks and decisions.
I'd have my kids and myself re/vaccinated against smallpox in a heart beat if it were offered and available. Others might choose not to have their children or themselves vaccinated.
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