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MMR

Page history last edited by Phil Garrison 11 mos ago

Measles, Mumps, and Rubella

Definition and Etiology

Measels is a highly contagious, viral infection that is common in children. It is characterized by fever, cough, coryza, conjunctivitis, Koplik's spots, and a maculopapular rash that spreads cephalocaudally. Measles is highly communicable, and is spread mainly by secretions from the nose, ear, throat, and mouth or by airborne droplets. The disease is common in under-developed parts of the world, especially in areas where vitamin-A deficiency is common (Merck).

Mumps is an acute viral infection characterized by a non-specific prodrome including myalgia, anorexia, malaise, headache and fever, followed by acute onset of unilateral or bilateral tender swelling of parotid or other salivary glands (Plotkin & Orenstein). In unvaccinated populations, an estimated 30-70% of mumps infections are associated with typical acute parotitis (Plotkin & Orenstein; CDC). However, as many as 20% of infections are asymptomatic and nearly 50% are associated with non-specific or primarily respiratory symptoms, with or without parotitis (Plotkin & Orenstein). Complications of mumps infection can include deafness, orchitis, oophoritis, or mastitis (inflammation of the testicles, ovaries, or breasts respectively), pancreatitis, meningitis/encephalitis, and spontaneous abortion. With the exception of deafness, these complications are more common among adults than children (Plotkin & Orenstein).

Rubella is a contagious viral infection that may produce adenopathy, rash, and sometimes constitutional symptoms that are usually mild and brief. Infection during early stages of pregnancy can cause spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, or congenital defects. Treatment is unusually unnecessary (Merck).

The Vaccine

The MMR vaccine is a cocktail of Measles, Mumps, and Rubella. These were common childhood diseases until the 1970s (thinktwice.com). Separate vaccines are available for each of these diseases, but they were combined into one vaccine in the 1980s (thinktwice.com). The cocktail creates an unnatural disease state that practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) would probably call a "complex pattern." The pathogen (xie qi) is incredibly strong, while the young-child's immune system (zheng qi) is weak and undeveloped. Thus, the pathogen overwhelms the immune system, penetrating deep within the body. From a biological perspective, this creates an immune response to three simultaneous diseases. It is this same immune response that confers the so-called benefits of vaccination: antibodies are produced and future immunity is theoretically conferred. What if the pathogen were so strong and the immune system so weak that damage were to occur? Over the past few decades, as the list of recommended childhood vaccines has grown, the incidence of learning disabilities, asthma, and diabetes have increased dramatically--opponents of the MMR vaccine believe it to be a possible link to some of these diseases, but particularly to autism.

Vaccine Research

Some of the most interesting research into the MMR vaccine has been carried out by Dr. Vijendra K. Singh Ph.D, who has studied the neuro-immunological basis of autism for over 10 years. Singh believes, "up to eighty percent (and possibly all) cases of autism are caused by an abnormal immune reaction (crossroadsinstitute.org)." This immune reaction is analogous to an auto-immune condition. Singh hypothesizes that an autoimmune reaction to brain structures, in particular the myelin sheath, plays a critical role in causing the neurological impairments of patients with autism. According to two studies conducted in the 1990s, the incidence of myelin basic protein (MBP)-antibody in the autistic population (70% positive) is over twenty times higher than that of the normal population (3% positive). Virus antibody levels in the blood of autistic children were much higher when compared to normal children--the viral antibody and brain autoantibody association was particularly true of measles virus (MV)-antibody and MBP-antibody (crossroadsinstitute.org). In 2003, another of Singh's studies concluded that, "Autistic children, but not normal children, had antibodies to caudate nucleus (49% positive sera), cerebral cortex (18% positive sera) and cerebellum (9% positive sera). Brain stem and hippocampus were negative (whale.to)."

Side Effects

Vaccine side-effects are a key issue. The CDC claims, "Most people who get MMR vaccine do not have any problems with it," but then lists "fever" as a "mild problem" experienced in "up to one out of every six people." It also lists, "temporary pain and stiffness in the joints, mostly in teenage or adult women (up to 1 out of 4)," as a "moderate side effect (cdc.gov)." These statistics, from the CDC's own website, suggests that reactions to this vaccine are actually quite common. Among the not-so-common moderate-level side effects, one finds, "seizure (jerking or staring) caused by fever (about 1 out of 3,000 doses)." Collectively, these symptoms suggest, from a TCM perspective, a pathology involving wind and heat. This is clearly an incredibly strong febrile disease (wen bing) that is being injected into the body of a young child.

Duration of Immunity

Sporadic outbreaks of these diseases, in previously vaccinated individuals, suggest that vaccination may not protect an individual. According to a 1984 CDC report, "Transmission of measles can occur within a school population with a documented immunization level of 100% (iier.isciii.es)." This comment was attached to a larger document about a measles outbreak in an Illinois high school. The outbreak occurred from December 1983-January 1984, during which time 16 high school students and 5 middle school students suffered from the disease. The attack rate was four times greater for students vaccinated 10 or more years before the outbreak than for students vaccinated more recently (iier.isciii.es).

As recently as 2006, there was a multi-state outbreak of mumps. As of April 12, 2006, 605 suspect, probable and confirmed cases were reported to the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) (IDPH, unpublished data). The majority of cases occurred among persons 18-25 years of age, many of whom are vaccinated. Additional cases of mumps, possibly linked to the Iowa outbreak, are also under investigation in eight neighboring states, including Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wisconsin (CDC unpublished data, April 14, 2006). Investigation into the reasons behind the 6,584 cases of mumps that hit Midwestern states in March through May of 2006 found that a large percentage of those who contracted the illness had received the recommended two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. Among those infected in the eight hardest-hit states, 63% overall and 84% of those 18 to 24 years old had received two MMR injections. (ama-assn.org). This outbreak demonstrates that individuals can still contract the Mumps virus, even after following proper vaccination protocols.

Informed Consent

Another issue surrounding vaccination in America is informed consent. The issue of vaccination is one of the many paradoxes that accompanies American freedom. On the one hand, the question of public health is raised, and on the other, the question of freedom of choice is raised. How many doctors or parents know all of the ingredients in the vaccines? The MMR vaccine, in particular, has a strange list of additives. Neomycin (an antibiotic), hydrolized gelatin, chick embryonic fluid, and human diploid cells from aborted fetal tissue are all present in the vaccine (informedchoice.info). Vegan/vegetarian parents are likely unaware of the animal products contained within the vaccine, and pro-life parents are likely unaware of aborted fetal tissue contained in the vaccine. These two groups, in particular, should be educated about the ingredients, so they may make a truly informed choice about vaccination.

Resources

Merck Manual

Plotkin, SA, Orenstein WA, et al. Vaccines, 4th Edition, 2003, p.441-5.

CDC. Measles, Mumps, and Rubella -- Vaccine Use and Strategies for Elimination of Measles, Rubella, and Congenital Rubella Syndrome and Control of Mumps: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR 1998; 47(RR-8);1-57.

http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/04/28/hlsa0428.htm

http://iier.isciii.es/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00000359.htm

http://www.thinktwice.com/mmr.htm

http://www.informedchoice.info/cocktail.html

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/side-effects.htm#mmr

http://vafvic.org/IOMreport.htm

http://nvic.org/PressReleases/prmercuryvacc.htm

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/322/7280/183

http://autism.about.com/od/causesofautism/a/MMRVaccine_2.htm

http://www.whale.to/vaccines/singh.html

http://www.whale.to/a/aut66.html

http://www.whale.to/a/pdf/NSL%20article.pdf