Vaccine Preventable Illness
After I had exhausted my search through the package inserts and the vaccine ingredients lists, I knew that the vaccines contained dangerous materials. There was no doubt in my mind that those ingredients weren't safe for infant to even ingest, let alone have injected into them.
What I wanted to know was: Do the benefits really outweigh the risks?
Let's take a look at the Vaccine Preventable Illnesses: If you want to know more about each illness, just click on the underlined links and they will take you to the sources of all data.
What I wanted to know was: Do the benefits really outweigh the risks?
Let's take a look at the Vaccine Preventable Illnesses: If you want to know more about each illness, just click on the underlined links and they will take you to the sources of all data.
Diphtheria:
What Is It?
“Respiratory diphtheria presents as a sore throat with low-grade fever and an adherent pseudomembrane of the tonsils, pharynx, or nose. Neck swelling is usually present in severe disease. Cutaneous diphtheria presents as infected skin lesions which lack a characteristic appearance.”
How Common Is It?
“A confirmed case has not been reported in the U.S. since 2003. Approximately 0.001 cases per 100,000 population in the U.S. since 1980; before the introduction of vaccine in the 1920s incidence was 100-200 cases per 100,000 population. “
Morbidity and Mortality?
“Myocarditis, polyneuritis, and airway obstruction are common complications of respiratory diphtheria; death occurs in 5%-10% of respiratory cases. Complications and deaths occur less frequently from cutaneous diphtheria.”
But wait, you didn’t say how many cases are the respiratory cases. How do I know how many cases 5-10% of that are?! How many cases result in death or complications? I guess its not terribly relevant, since I’m assessing my child’s risk today, not in 1920. And today, there are no cases. Therefore, no risk.
Tetanus:
What Is It?
"Early symptoms: lockjaw, stiffness in the neck and abdomen, and difficulty swallowing. Later symptoms: severe muscle spasms, generalized tonic seizure-like activity, severe autonomic nervous system disorders"
How Common Is It?
According to the World Health Organization's 2009 Vaccine Preventable Diseases Report, the U.S. hasn't seen more than 50 cases a year in over a decade.
Morbidity and Mortality?
Bone fractures, abnormal heart rhythm. Death in about 10-20% of cases, with the highest rates occurring among older people
Pertussis
What Is It?
Pertussis (whooping cough) can cause serious illness in infants, children and adults. The disease usually starts with cold-like symptoms and maybe a mild cough or fever. After 1 to 2 weeks, severe coughing can begin. Unlike the common cold, pertussis can become a series of coughing fits that continues for weeks.In infants, the cough can be minimal or not even there. Infants may have a symptom known as "apnea." Apnea is a pause in the child’s breathing pattern. Pertussis is most dangerous for babies. More than half of infants younger than 1 year of age who get the disease must be hospitalized.
Pertussis can cause violent and rapid coughing, over and over, until the air is gone from the lungs and you are forced to inhale with a loud "whooping" sound. This extreme coughing can cause you to throw up and be very tired. The "whoop" is often not there and the infection is generally milder (less severe) in teens and adults, especially those who have been vaccinated.
Morbidity and Mortality?
In infants younger than 1 year of age who get pertussis, more than half must be hospitalized. The younger the infant, the more likely treatment in the hospital will be needed. Of those infants who are hospitalized with pertussis about:·
1 in 5 get pneumonia (lung infection)·
1 in 100 will have convulsions (violent, uncontrolled shaking)·
Half will have apnea (slowed or stopped breathing)·
1 in 300 will have encephalopathy (disease of the brain)·
1 in 100 will die
How Common Is It?
The WHO states that in 2008 in the U.S. there were 13,213 cases. "Epidemics occur every three to five years in the United States, with the most recent in 2005, when there were more than 25,000 reported cases nationwide, and nearly 3,200 in California, where 7 people died." -NYTimes.
"The number of pertussis cases reported to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has increased substantially during 2010. The increase in cases was first noted in late March among patients admitted to a children's hospital. During January 1-- June 30, 2010, a total of 1,337 cases were reported, a 418% increase from the 258 cases reported during the same period in 2009. All cases either met the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists definitions for confirmed or probable pertussis or had an acute cough illness and Bordetella pertussis--specific nucleic acid detected by polymerase chain reaction from nasopharyngeal specimens (1)."
In case you aren't following, that means that individual doctors may add their pertussis cases to the totals based off "probable" cases of pertussis.
"Of 634 case reports with available data, 105 (16.6%) patients were hospitalized, of whom 66 (62.9%) were aged <3 months. Incidence among Hispanic infants (49.8 cases per 100,000) was higher than among other racial/ethnic populations. Five deaths were reported, all in previously healthy Hispanic infants aged <2 months at disease onset; none had received any pertussis-containing vaccines."http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5926a5.htm?s_cid=mm5926a5_e%0D%0A
7 deaths out of 25,000 cases, all in babies too young to be fully vaccinated. Which means by the time my baby can be fully protected vaccinated their risk for death is essentially ZERO.
Polio:
What Is It?
Approximately 95% of persons infected with polio will have no symptoms. About 4-8% of infected persons have minor symptoms, such as fever, fatigue, nausea, headache, flu-like symptoms, stiffness in the neck and back, and pain in the limbs, which often resolve completely. Fewer than 1% of polio cases result in permanent paralysis of the limbs (usually the legs). Of those paralyzed, 5-10% die when the paralysis strikes the respiratory muscles. The death rate increases with increasing age.
Morbidity and Mortality?
"Prior to the introduction of inactivated poliovirus vaccines in 1955, large outbreaks of poliomyelitis occurred each year in the United States (US). The annual incidence of paralytic disease of 11.4 cases/100,000 population declined to 0.5 cases by the time oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) was introduced in 1961. Incidence continued to decline thereafter to a rate of 0.002 to 0.005 cases per 100,000 population. Of the 127 cases of paralytic poliomyelitis reported in the US between 1980 and 1994, six were imported cases (caused by wild polioviruses), two were “indeterminate” cases, and 119 were vaccine associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP) cases associated with the use of live, attenuated oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV).6"
How Common Is It?
According to WHO, the polio threat is the U.S. is gone. In fact, the only strains that exist today are OPV-strains, from the vaccines themselves.
What Is It?
“Respiratory diphtheria presents as a sore throat with low-grade fever and an adherent pseudomembrane of the tonsils, pharynx, or nose. Neck swelling is usually present in severe disease. Cutaneous diphtheria presents as infected skin lesions which lack a characteristic appearance.”
How Common Is It?
“A confirmed case has not been reported in the U.S. since 2003. Approximately 0.001 cases per 100,000 population in the U.S. since 1980; before the introduction of vaccine in the 1920s incidence was 100-200 cases per 100,000 population. “
Morbidity and Mortality?
“Myocarditis, polyneuritis, and airway obstruction are common complications of respiratory diphtheria; death occurs in 5%-10% of respiratory cases. Complications and deaths occur less frequently from cutaneous diphtheria.”
But wait, you didn’t say how many cases are the respiratory cases. How do I know how many cases 5-10% of that are?! How many cases result in death or complications? I guess its not terribly relevant, since I’m assessing my child’s risk today, not in 1920. And today, there are no cases. Therefore, no risk.
Tetanus:
What Is It?
"Early symptoms: lockjaw, stiffness in the neck and abdomen, and difficulty swallowing. Later symptoms: severe muscle spasms, generalized tonic seizure-like activity, severe autonomic nervous system disorders"
How Common Is It?
According to the World Health Organization's 2009 Vaccine Preventable Diseases Report, the U.S. hasn't seen more than 50 cases a year in over a decade.
Morbidity and Mortality?
Bone fractures, abnormal heart rhythm. Death in about 10-20% of cases, with the highest rates occurring among older people
Pertussis
What Is It?
Pertussis (whooping cough) can cause serious illness in infants, children and adults. The disease usually starts with cold-like symptoms and maybe a mild cough or fever. After 1 to 2 weeks, severe coughing can begin. Unlike the common cold, pertussis can become a series of coughing fits that continues for weeks.In infants, the cough can be minimal or not even there. Infants may have a symptom known as "apnea." Apnea is a pause in the child’s breathing pattern. Pertussis is most dangerous for babies. More than half of infants younger than 1 year of age who get the disease must be hospitalized.
Pertussis can cause violent and rapid coughing, over and over, until the air is gone from the lungs and you are forced to inhale with a loud "whooping" sound. This extreme coughing can cause you to throw up and be very tired. The "whoop" is often not there and the infection is generally milder (less severe) in teens and adults, especially those who have been vaccinated.
Morbidity and Mortality?
In infants younger than 1 year of age who get pertussis, more than half must be hospitalized. The younger the infant, the more likely treatment in the hospital will be needed. Of those infants who are hospitalized with pertussis about:·
1 in 5 get pneumonia (lung infection)·
1 in 100 will have convulsions (violent, uncontrolled shaking)·
Half will have apnea (slowed or stopped breathing)·
1 in 300 will have encephalopathy (disease of the brain)·
1 in 100 will die
How Common Is It?
The WHO states that in 2008 in the U.S. there were 13,213 cases. "Epidemics occur every three to five years in the United States, with the most recent in 2005, when there were more than 25,000 reported cases nationwide, and nearly 3,200 in California, where 7 people died." -NYTimes.
"The number of pertussis cases reported to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has increased substantially during 2010. The increase in cases was first noted in late March among patients admitted to a children's hospital. During January 1-- June 30, 2010, a total of 1,337 cases were reported, a 418% increase from the 258 cases reported during the same period in 2009. All cases either met the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists definitions for confirmed or probable pertussis or had an acute cough illness and Bordetella pertussis--specific nucleic acid detected by polymerase chain reaction from nasopharyngeal specimens (1)."
In case you aren't following, that means that individual doctors may add their pertussis cases to the totals based off "probable" cases of pertussis.
"Of 634 case reports with available data, 105 (16.6%) patients were hospitalized, of whom 66 (62.9%) were aged <3 months. Incidence among Hispanic infants (49.8 cases per 100,000) was higher than among other racial/ethnic populations. Five deaths were reported, all in previously healthy Hispanic infants aged <2 months at disease onset; none had received any pertussis-containing vaccines."http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5926a5.htm?s_cid=mm5926a5_e%0D%0A
7 deaths out of 25,000 cases, all in babies too young to be fully vaccinated. Which means by the time my baby can be fully protected vaccinated their risk for death is essentially ZERO.
Polio:
What Is It?
Approximately 95% of persons infected with polio will have no symptoms. About 4-8% of infected persons have minor symptoms, such as fever, fatigue, nausea, headache, flu-like symptoms, stiffness in the neck and back, and pain in the limbs, which often resolve completely. Fewer than 1% of polio cases result in permanent paralysis of the limbs (usually the legs). Of those paralyzed, 5-10% die when the paralysis strikes the respiratory muscles. The death rate increases with increasing age.
Morbidity and Mortality?
"Prior to the introduction of inactivated poliovirus vaccines in 1955, large outbreaks of poliomyelitis occurred each year in the United States (US). The annual incidence of paralytic disease of 11.4 cases/100,000 population declined to 0.5 cases by the time oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) was introduced in 1961. Incidence continued to decline thereafter to a rate of 0.002 to 0.005 cases per 100,000 population. Of the 127 cases of paralytic poliomyelitis reported in the US between 1980 and 1994, six were imported cases (caused by wild polioviruses), two were “indeterminate” cases, and 119 were vaccine associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP) cases associated with the use of live, attenuated oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV).6"
How Common Is It?
According to WHO, the polio threat is the U.S. is gone. In fact, the only strains that exist today are OPV-strains, from the vaccines themselves.
Haemophilus Influenzae Type B
What Is It?
Invasive disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b can affect many organ systems. The most common types of invasive disease are pneumonia, occult febrile bacteremia, meningitis, epiglottitis, septic arthritis, cellulitis, otitis media, purulent pericarditis, and other less common infections such as endocarditis, and osteomyelitis.
How Common Is It?
Due to routine use of the Hib conjugate vaccine since 1990, the incidence of Hib disease in infants and young children has decreased by 99% to fewer than 1 case per 100,000 children under 5 years of age. In the United States, Hib disease occurs primarily in underimmunized children and among infants too young to have completed the primary immunization series. In developing countries, where routine vaccination with Hib vaccine is not widely available, Hib remains a major cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants and children.
Morbidity and Mortality?
3%-6% of cases are fatal; up to 20% of surviving patients have permanent hearing loss or other long-term sequelae."
Okay, let's think about the numbers. So, in 1990 100/100,000 kids were infected with HIB. Out of those, 3-6% died. So, 3-6 kids. With about 20 having long-term sequelae. So, incredibly tiny. Considering the current U.S. infant mortality rate is about 7/1000.
"During January 2007--October 2008, a total of 4,657 cases of invasive H. influenzae disease were reported to CDC; 127 cases (2.7%) were type b, 2,267 (48.7%) were non-b, and 2,263 (48.6%) were missing serotype information. Among children aged <5 years, 748 H. influenzae cases were reported; 45 (6.0%) were type b, 425 (56.8%) were non-b, and 278 (37.2%) were missing serotype information. Based on the merged NNDSS/ABCs data, the average annual rate of invasive Hib disease reported in children aged <5 years, during January 2007--October 2008, was 0.12 cases per 100,000 children per year. During 2007, the annual rate was 0.11 cases per 100,000 children aged <5 years, and during January--October 2008, the annual rate was 0.13 cases per 100,000."
The CDC's own data shows that only 2.7% of cases of HIB could even be proven to be caused by the strain that the vaccine is supposed to protect you from.
Hepatitis B:
What Is It?
"Chronic Hepatitis B is a serious disease that can result in long-term health problems, including liver damage, liver failure, liver cancer, or even death. Morbidity and Mortality?"Approximately 2,000–4,000 people die every year from Hepatitis B-related liver disease."
How Common Is It?
It's so uncommon in children, that there simply isn't any data on it.
Rotavirus
What Is It?
"Rotavirus is a virus that causes gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and intestines). The rotavirus disease causes severe watery diarrhea, often with vomiting, fever, and abdominal pain. In babies and young children, it can lead to dehydration (loss of body fluids). Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe diarrhea in infants and young children worldwide. How Common Is It?Globally, it causes more than a half a million deaths each year in children younger than 5 years of age.
Morbidity and Mortality?
Rotavirus was also the leading cause of severe diarrhea in U.S. infants and young children before rotavirus vaccine was introduced for U.S. infants in 2006. Prior to that, almost all children in the United States were infected with rotavirus before their 5th birthday. Each year in the United States in the pre-vaccine period, rotavirus was responsible for more than 400,000 doctor visits; more than 200,000 emergency room visits; 55,000 to 70,000 hospitalizations; and 20 to 60 deaths in children younger than 5 years of age."Wow, even before the vaccine, there were only 20-60 deaths a year in the U.S.
Pneumococcal What Is It?"pneumonia include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain. The symptoms of pneumococcal meningitis include stiff neck, fever, mental confusion and disorientation, and visual sensitivity to light (photophobia). The symptoms of pneumococcal bacteremia (a bloodstream infection) may be similar to some of the symptoms of pneumonia and meningitis, along with joint pain and chills. The symptoms of otitis media (middle ear infection) typically include a painful ear, a red or swollen eardrum, and sometimes sleeplessness, fever and irritability."
How Common Is It?
TheHealthy People 2010 goals for children under 5 years are to reduce the annual rate of invasive pneumococcal disease to 46 cases per 100,000 population from a baseline of 76 cases per 100,000 population in 1997, and to reduce the annual rate of penicillin-resistant invasive pneumococcal disease to 6 cases per 100,000 population from a baseline of 16 cases per 100,000 population in 1997.13 The overall incidence of invasive disease among children younger than 5 years of age declined to 24 cases per 100,000 population in 2003, exceeding the Healthy People 2010 objective for this age group.26 Rates of penicillin-nonsusceptible invasive disease in children younger than 5 years ranged from 25.9 to 33.8 per 100,000 between 1996 and 1999, before the introduction of conjugate vaccine, and declined to 7.5 per 100,000 in 2004, thereby exceeding this Healthy People 2010 objective as well.35
Morbidity and Mortality?
The Active Bacterial Core Surveillance (ABCs) Report Emerging Infections Program Network Streptococcus pneumoniae, 1999 data states that in 2.64/100,000 kids died from it. And out of that, only .82/100,000 are children under 5. As of 2009 it was .39/100,000.
What Is It?
Invasive disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b can affect many organ systems. The most common types of invasive disease are pneumonia, occult febrile bacteremia, meningitis, epiglottitis, septic arthritis, cellulitis, otitis media, purulent pericarditis, and other less common infections such as endocarditis, and osteomyelitis.
How Common Is It?
Due to routine use of the Hib conjugate vaccine since 1990, the incidence of Hib disease in infants and young children has decreased by 99% to fewer than 1 case per 100,000 children under 5 years of age. In the United States, Hib disease occurs primarily in underimmunized children and among infants too young to have completed the primary immunization series. In developing countries, where routine vaccination with Hib vaccine is not widely available, Hib remains a major cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants and children.
Morbidity and Mortality?
3%-6% of cases are fatal; up to 20% of surviving patients have permanent hearing loss or other long-term sequelae."
Okay, let's think about the numbers. So, in 1990 100/100,000 kids were infected with HIB. Out of those, 3-6% died. So, 3-6 kids. With about 20 having long-term sequelae. So, incredibly tiny. Considering the current U.S. infant mortality rate is about 7/1000.
"During January 2007--October 2008, a total of 4,657 cases of invasive H. influenzae disease were reported to CDC; 127 cases (2.7%) were type b, 2,267 (48.7%) were non-b, and 2,263 (48.6%) were missing serotype information. Among children aged <5 years, 748 H. influenzae cases were reported; 45 (6.0%) were type b, 425 (56.8%) were non-b, and 278 (37.2%) were missing serotype information. Based on the merged NNDSS/ABCs data, the average annual rate of invasive Hib disease reported in children aged <5 years, during January 2007--October 2008, was 0.12 cases per 100,000 children per year. During 2007, the annual rate was 0.11 cases per 100,000 children aged <5 years, and during January--October 2008, the annual rate was 0.13 cases per 100,000."
The CDC's own data shows that only 2.7% of cases of HIB could even be proven to be caused by the strain that the vaccine is supposed to protect you from.
Hepatitis B:
What Is It?
"Chronic Hepatitis B is a serious disease that can result in long-term health problems, including liver damage, liver failure, liver cancer, or even death. Morbidity and Mortality?"Approximately 2,000–4,000 people die every year from Hepatitis B-related liver disease."
How Common Is It?
It's so uncommon in children, that there simply isn't any data on it.
Rotavirus
What Is It?
"Rotavirus is a virus that causes gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and intestines). The rotavirus disease causes severe watery diarrhea, often with vomiting, fever, and abdominal pain. In babies and young children, it can lead to dehydration (loss of body fluids). Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe diarrhea in infants and young children worldwide. How Common Is It?Globally, it causes more than a half a million deaths each year in children younger than 5 years of age.
Morbidity and Mortality?
Rotavirus was also the leading cause of severe diarrhea in U.S. infants and young children before rotavirus vaccine was introduced for U.S. infants in 2006. Prior to that, almost all children in the United States were infected with rotavirus before their 5th birthday. Each year in the United States in the pre-vaccine period, rotavirus was responsible for more than 400,000 doctor visits; more than 200,000 emergency room visits; 55,000 to 70,000 hospitalizations; and 20 to 60 deaths in children younger than 5 years of age."Wow, even before the vaccine, there were only 20-60 deaths a year in the U.S.
Pneumococcal What Is It?"pneumonia include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain. The symptoms of pneumococcal meningitis include stiff neck, fever, mental confusion and disorientation, and visual sensitivity to light (photophobia). The symptoms of pneumococcal bacteremia (a bloodstream infection) may be similar to some of the symptoms of pneumonia and meningitis, along with joint pain and chills. The symptoms of otitis media (middle ear infection) typically include a painful ear, a red or swollen eardrum, and sometimes sleeplessness, fever and irritability."
How Common Is It?
TheHealthy People 2010 goals for children under 5 years are to reduce the annual rate of invasive pneumococcal disease to 46 cases per 100,000 population from a baseline of 76 cases per 100,000 population in 1997, and to reduce the annual rate of penicillin-resistant invasive pneumococcal disease to 6 cases per 100,000 population from a baseline of 16 cases per 100,000 population in 1997.13 The overall incidence of invasive disease among children younger than 5 years of age declined to 24 cases per 100,000 population in 2003, exceeding the Healthy People 2010 objective for this age group.26 Rates of penicillin-nonsusceptible invasive disease in children younger than 5 years ranged from 25.9 to 33.8 per 100,000 between 1996 and 1999, before the introduction of conjugate vaccine, and declined to 7.5 per 100,000 in 2004, thereby exceeding this Healthy People 2010 objective as well.35
Morbidity and Mortality?
The Active Bacterial Core Surveillance (ABCs) Report Emerging Infections Program Network Streptococcus pneumoniae, 1999 data states that in 2.64/100,000 kids died from it. And out of that, only .82/100,000 are children under 5. As of 2009 it was .39/100,000.