February 7, 2003
By
MAGGIE POTEAUX
6 News Anchor/Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- When it comes to the smallpox
vaccine, the CDC and officials with the Knox County
Health Department warn that there are some people who
aren't good candidates to receive it.
One group who faces problems from the vaccine is
people with weakened immune systems.
Matt Seals is a happy, active seven-year old. But he
has a rare blood disease that affects his immune system.
Since the age of two, Matt has gone to Children's
Hospital once a month to undergo an antibody infusion
treatment. "They wipe me with stuff and then they take
this needle and push it in my hand and about four hours
later, they take it out," he says.
For the Seals family, the smallpox vaccine is a worry
because they remember what another family faced when
their son was vaccinated for polio. "A boy who has the
same condition as Matt but received another live virus,
polio virus, actually contracted polio," says his
father, Quentin Seals.
So Quentin's concern is not only for his son, but
those who may not know they have compromised immune
systems.
Local health departments say they take every
precaution, pre-screening all volunteers who receive the
smallpox vaccine.
But the Seals family worries, as more people
volunteer to be vaccinated for smallpox, they could
potentially infect others. The sore that forms at the
vaccination site is contagious.
"We would like more information that the vaccinated
individuals pose slight health risks to people to immune
deficiencies," Quentin says, "because it is a live
virus. These people are contagious for a period of days
after receiving the vaccine."
If there is a smallpox outbreak, the Seals say, "We'd
have to consider probably isolating ourselves, if you
will, or quarantining ourselves to the confines of the
home and taking precautions in that way."
Currently, only volunteers are being vaccinated for
smallpox.
And officials at the Knox County Health Department
say they take every precaution to keep the live vaccinia,
which isn't actually smallpox, from spreading. They keep
it covered, wear long sleeve shirts and wash their hands
often.
