Measles in adults?

[Juvysen]

Anyone know why measles tends to be worse in adults? Same with mumps? Other childhood VPDs?

I guess since I'm vaccinated, myself, but considering not vaccinating my children I sort of expect them to get at least ONE of these childhood VPDs. What can I do to protect myself and my husband from the diseases, since neither of us had them in childhood? Well, we both had chicken pox, but with it not circulating in the population as much anymore, I'm wondering how our immunity on that one is doing, too, kwim?

Anyone have information on this?

[Juvysen]

No words of wisdom?

[plunky]

I would probably start at wikipedia.

[Juvysen]

I googled and didn't find much.

[Juvysen]

So upon more searching, all I've found (yes, wikipedia, too) is that it IS worse in adults. Common knowledge. No info on why. I'll be glad for any help I can get here.

Back to searching...

[FernG]

check on vit A and C. i think a lot of the complications are related to deficiencies of A and C.

[Super Glue Mommy]

Originally Posted by Juvysen

So upon more searching, all I've found (yes, wikipedia, too) is that it IS worse in adults. Common knowledge. No info on why. I'll be glad for any help I can get here.

Back to searching...

its such a shame, since immunity wears off by time we become adults. we would have been better off just getting the measles as a child. but, thats not a guarentee either. I know way too many un vaccinated people who NEVER got anything, not even chicken pox growing up, even if a sibling did.

[Juvysen]

Originally Posted by Super Glue Mommy

its such a shame, since immunity wears off by time we become adults. we would have been better off just getting the measles as a child. but, thats not a guarentee either. I know way too many un vaccinated people who NEVER got anything, not even chicken pox growing up, even if a sibling did.

It's frustrating. I wish I hadn't been vaccinated I read that most people who didn't get chicken pox by age 10 still had good titer levels, so it was possible that they got it asymptomatically or whatever. It's fascinating, but frustrating when I have to apply it to my life.

[Super Glue Mommy]

yes some people are naturally immune. I think this is where the theory of gaining immunity from the mother come into play. They can test for natural immunity. some people vaccinate only after checking titers for immunity.

it would be interesting if more people did this. I wonder how many people get vaccinated that are already immune? I wonder if some people who aren't vaccinated don't get sick because they are naturally immune? of course, even if there was a way to test that theory it would never be done out of fear that vaccines may have nothing to do with immunity after all. I just think with everyone's genetics being so vastly different, the one size fits all approach of vaccinations is a dangerous slippery slope. and no vaccines have been properly tested for safety - no other marketed drug could be marketed with such a lacking approach to safety. No, not everything can be 100% safe, but vaccines get a different set of rules then other drugs do. AND they are the most forced drug in the country.

It would be like saying, lets treat everyone for mental illness even if they dont have it, and create a herd immunity to mental illness. the medication that will be "mandatory" will not be one of the ones that had proper safety testing. This drug will be held to a much lesser standard then other prescription and over the counter drugs.

[ema-adama]

:

I very well could need to address this with DH as he was vaccinated as a child and I want DS (and any future siblings) to have wild measles and mumps. I just have not got my head around all the potential issues yet. Like I am not sure if DH has been getting 'natural' boosters and I do not even know how we can measure his immunity in such a way that I would know if he is susceptible should there be measles or mumps in our home.

It is very frustrating when it applies to real life.