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Healthy
People |
Flu Vaccine
Influenza
is a specific syndrome, provoked by a specific viral agent, the influenza
virus. The symptoms may be severe, or even lead to exitus in people with a
weakened general condition. Two main families have
been detected, influenza A and B. But there are many strains of influenza
viruses, and, moreover, existing strains mutate all the time. It is,
therefore, an extremely difficult task to 'foresee' the causative agent of a
new influenza epidemic, and even more difficult to produce a corresponding
vaccine in time. The constant mutation of the viruses, and the
unpredictability of which virus will show up where and when, makes the whole
influenza vaccination business into a giant poker game. The most intriguing
deception of the public, however, is the suggestion that the patient who gets
an influenza-vaccination will not get the flu. What is generally known to the
public as 'a flu' is an influenza-like syndrome, with symptoms like fever,
chills, muskel- or joint pains, a headache, a runny nose, and general
malaise. This disease, however, has got nothing to do with the real
influenza, neither can it in any way be prevented by an influenza
vaccination. Thus, if doctors guarantee their patients that they will not get
the flu after they came in to get their jab, this is an unethical
manipulation, the basis for which most probably is simply profit for both
those who produce the vaccine and those who administer it. Apart from this
manipulation, questions have to be answered as to the efficacy and the safety
of the vaccine. Efficacy The lack of efficacy of
the vaccine is well illustrated in a Dutch article (1) about a home for elderly
people, where in spite of vaccination of two thirds of the population, a
severe flu struck 49% of them, with strong morbidity (bacterial infections,
pneumonia) and high mortality (10%). An important observation was that in the
vaccinated population, 50% got the disease, compared to 48% of
non-vaccinated. Also, complement binding antibodies for influenza A were
positive in 41% of vaccinated compared to 36% in non-vaccinated. This clearly
shows that the vaccination status did not have a protective influence at all.
Further laboratory investigation confirmed that antibody building against the
vaccine was normal, but the causative influenza A virus had not reacted to
the vaccine the patients had been given. Comparison with a
similar situation in 1988 in a home for elderly people shows that in that
second case both morbidity and mortality were significantly lower, namely 37
and 3%, respectively. The main difference, however, was ... that in this
second home patients had not been vaccinated! Induction of antibodies
in elderly people never is higher than 52-67% (2). Morris even declares the
efficiency is not more than about 20% (3). Mistakes in production, transport,
conservation and administration can be responsible for a further decrease of
efficacy (4). Safety Questions about the
safety of influenza vaccines are not new. As early as 1973, Rabin wrote that
between 1966 and 1970 almost all USA-made influenza vaccines were toxic (5). I. Neurological complications For many years,
neurological complications of influenza vaccination were simply denied. In
1966, Stuart-Harris wrote that "There is little direct evidence that any
of these neurological illnesses during or after influenza are specifically
caused by the influenza virus" (6). And in 1971, Wells still believed
that "There is at present no way of proving or of disproving the
aethiological relationship" (7). Later on, USA studies
proved that there was indeed a relationship between both. Observations during
and after the A/New Jersey mass vaccination campaign in 1976 lead to
convincing statistics (see GBS). German authors calculated the frequency of
neurological complications at 1/0.7 million doses for influenza B vaccines
and at 1/1.3 million vaccinations for influenza A vaccines (4). It is clear
that for these figures, only documented cases have been taken into account,
whereas as a rule not all cases have been properly diagnosed and reported.
The real figures, thus, are likely to be higher. The first syndrome to be
clearly correlated with the influenza-vaccination was the Guillain-Barre
paralysis (1977). But only one year later, researchers discovered that
neurological complications were not at all restricted to this one syndrome;
on the contrary, they found a good number of neurological affections (8).
Hennessen et.al. call the spectrum of syndromes "remarquably wide"
and notice that in the course of a postvaccination disease process it is not
rare for them to mingle into many different mixtures. Although the first
syndromes were detected after the A/New Jersey mass vaccination,
complications after influenza vaccination can in no way be attributed or
limited to this one vaccine. All 28 cases described by Hennessen et. al. e.g.
were vaccinated with vaccines that did not contain this A/New Jersey strain. More epidemiological
data were gathered by Hennessen et al. The incidence of affections was
significantly higher in autumn (September-November), four times more common
in males than in females, in all age groups (16-73 years old) with an average
age of 38,9 years. The interval between vaccination and first symptoms varied
between 24 hours and 4 weeks, with an average of 11.3 days (8). A. Paralysis 1) Guillain-Barre
Syndrome (GBS) Ehrengut and Allerdist
describe a case which progressed from paralysis of the extremities to
affection of the intercostal muscles and facial paralysis (4). This
complication may occur in normal, healthy individuals without any preliminary
disease. More cases were
described during an IABS Symposium in Geneva, 1977 (10). 2) Facialis paralysis Paresis of both lower
limbs in a 58 year old man (4). Wells describes two
cases of myelitis transversa (7). 4) Landry syndrome (8) B. Polyneuritis 1) Hypoesthesia C. Meningitis D. Encephalitis E. Multiple Sclerosis An exacerbation of
symptoms was noticed in 1 out of 93 MS-patients vaccinated against influenza
19, 20. F. Ataxia G. Headache H. Disorientation
about places (8)
I. Unconsciousness J. Trembling of upper
limbs (21) K. Automatic motions
of fingers and toes (21)
L. Aphasia (loss of
speech) (8)
A. Bronchitis B. Bronchopneumonia
A. Vomiting This happened to a man
13 days after vaccination; paralytic symptoms were noticed later on (4). B. Nausea (8) C. Rectal incontinence
(8)
Dysuria or paralysis of
the bladder Difficulties with
urination bothered a man 13 days after vaccination; a distention of the
bladder was diagnosed. Complete paralysis of the bladder with necessity of
catheterisation followed. Paralytic symptoms of the extremities were noticed
later on (4).
Impotence Lessening of sexual
potency lasted for over 3 months in a patient who suffered GBS (4). Sexual
impotence (4).
A. Vertigo B. Noises in the ears
(8) C. Impeded hearing (8)
A. Prooptosis (8)
A. Collapse (8)
A. Fever B. Somnolence C. Fatigue Chronic fatigue is known
to last for years after the infection subsided (4). D. Anaphylactic
reactions Ehrengut & Allerdist
describe such a reaction in an allergic person 1/2 h after vaccination (4).
Warren describes a case where the reaction followed 4 to 5 hours after vaccination
with fever, coryza and bronchospasms (15).
A. Difficulty in
thinking (21)
Sadness (21)
A 41 year old man died 4
weeks after vaccination, after progressive polyneuropathy and
bronchopneumonia had developed (4). Death within 4 days (7). Age Distribution The many case
descriptions available in medical literature prove that all age groups are
susceptible to side effects. Particularly important
is the frequency of patients with serious side effects after the vaccine had
been given for several years without any problem. This means that a lack of
side effects after a vaccination is not a guarantee of safety of
administration of the same vaccine in that patient later on. From those who suffered
GBS after vaccination, 11% were under 30 years of age, 58% were between 30
and 59, and 31% were 60 and more. Etiology Different mechanisms can
play a role in the development of a post-vaccination neuropathy. a) Hypersensitivity
reactions of the nervous system (serogenetic) are responible in a good number
of cases. Poser and Fowler describe similarities between GBS and serum
disease. The fact that different
vaccines from different manufacturers lead to similar complications, suggests
that these are not the consequence of the impurity of a certain vaccine, but
a risk inherent in any influenza vaccine. Contra-Indications Any impairment of the
immune system should be considered a contra-indication. 1. Allergies, especially
to any substance of the vaccines; allergy to proteins, cowsmilk etc.; hay
fever... Allergic constitutions often lead to hypersensitive reactions (8). References 1. Beyer, W.E.P.; et.
al. Influenza-epidemie in een verpleeghuis door een virus dat niet in het
vaccin was opgenomen. Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd, 1993; 137/39:1973-7
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