two vaccine questions

[justice'smom]

Here is my first question. If most of us are not afraid of our children getting the diseases that vaccines supposidly prevent, then why should we be afraid of shedding? I'm under the impression that it is better for children to get these diseases than adults, so why not try to get them from some of these children that are shedding it? Please forgive me for my ignorance.

Next question. If our kids have to get continued boosters for vaccines that we never got boosters for then you would think there would be just an amazing amount of outbreaks. I mean think about how many adults are out there that have not had these boosters. Talk to me ladies. Tell me what ya think.

[justice'smom]

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[MissRubyandKen]

Speaking for myself, of course. And only about the vaccines that *could* shed.

The only vaccine I would personally *worry* over shedding for my healthy 7 month old would be the FluMist.

With the varicella vaccine one thing that bothers me is that during one trial some household contacts of the vaccinated contracted chickenpox but didn't seroconvert. What a shame to go through an illness and not even have any protection from it. My ds had this vaccine and contracted chickenpox from it. My dd caught it from him. So I have to wonder if she seroconverted. Both had mild cases (I assume).

If the oral polio was given in my country I would have some concern. The only thing you could do is to practice good hygiene and healthy eating though.

As for the MMR, I don't really have a concern for my dd with shedding. It certainly hasn't shown to be a common occurence. I wouldn't want her to get any of these illnesses.

I would worry most for a pregnant mother or the immunocompromised with any of these illnesses except for the flu, if I was going to worry at all.

With my older kids (who are partially vaccinated) it wouldn't even cross my mind to worry, and I don't believe I would feel differently if they weren't vaccinated at all. The only thing I think about now that asked would be the flu.

As for the boosters and outbreaks question, this varies greatly from one vaccine and illness to the next. Some diseases are/were more prevalent than others and some vaccines are more efficacious than others. Also from what I've read many diseases were on the decline before the corresponding vaccine was introduced so why would we neccessarily be seeing large outbreaks?

Now with a disease like pertussis we aren't sure anything less than absolute universal immunization could result in less pertussis than we are seeing now. With varicella vaccine breakthrough disease is fairly common, so there you go. Most doctors will have seen this from what I've read. Last I checked varicella wasn't even notifiable. So who knows what kind of 'outbreaks' are going on. You couldn't say the same for measles, nor even the more likely mumps.

With polio, most adults have had the oral polio vaccine. When the IPV generation grows up they will likely be recommended boosters, or maybe not considering it is 'eradicated' from the US. So containment of any imported disease should be able to be accomplished fairly swiftly I would think. Which is what happens now in measles outbreaks, right?

[justice'smom]

Thank you.

[Gitti]

I agree that we should not be afraid of vaccines that shed, EXCEPT that some of the illnesses are totally unnecessary. Such as the rota virus. I mean who needs that one every time you come in contact with a newly vaccinated kid. Although it does get milder each time you have it. But once was enough for my little grandson.

I would like to see him get measles, rubella (I think he had it), cp, (been exposed twice, must have immunity), mumps and a few others. So, we don't try to stay away from anyone newly vaccinated.

As for your second question - well that goes to show that maybe we also build natural immunity (as nature intended) and no one wants us to think about it too much. There are Swiss studies that tell us so!!!

[runes]

Originally Posted by MissRubyandKen

With polio, most adults have had the oral polio vaccine. When the IPV generation grows up they will likely be recommended boosters, or maybe not considering it is 'eradicated' from the US. So containment of any imported disease should be able to be accomplished fairly swiftly I would think. Which is what happens now in measles outbreaks, right?

Yes. The San Diego measles outbreak was contained and stopped not by vaccination, but by education and quarantine. Many families that were directly affected opted not to vaccinate, and the outbreak ended quickly. I'm actually really interested in this topic and am keeping my eyes open when reading about the various "outbreaks" that are occurring throughout the US. The SD outbreak was anomolous because of the relatively low levels of vaccination as a direct consequence, and I hope that the powers that be are looking at this as an example of vaccinations not being the one and only answer to disease outbreak control.

[Deborah]

most of the mentions of shedding in non-vaxing circles are in response to the herd-immunity arguments

it is basically saying that live vaccines that shed don't necessarily make for good herd immunity

although, actually, insofar as any vaccines can create good herd immunity the live ones are most likely to do it--maybe the measles vaccine does

but I don't think most vax critics are really worried about the diseases when they mention shedding