Reduced passive measles immunity in infants of mothers who
have not been exposed to measles outbreaks.
Ohsaki M, Tsutsumi H, Takeuchi R, Kuniya Y, Chiba S.
Department of Pediatrics, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan.
Natural measles infection usually confers life-long immunity which is
transferred from mothers to their offspring, protecting them from natural
measles until the age of about 12 months. Recently, however, natural measles has
been observed with increased frequency in infants under the age of 12 months.
Natural measles outbreaks in the city of Sapporo have been suppressed by widely
applied measles vaccination. Passive measles immunity in 160 neonates (cord
blood), born during the last 17 y in Sapporo, Japan was determined by a
neutralization (NT) antibody test. The mothers of these infants had had natural
measles infection during childhood. Geometric mean titres (GMTs) of cord blood
NT antibodies gradually decreased after 1989 and the GMTs of the most recently
born infants were significantly lower than those of infants born in the first
few years of the study. These
observations suggest that even in mothers who experienced natural measles in
childhood, recurrent exposure to natural measles is necessary in order to
maintain adequate antibody levels for effective passive immunity of their
infants.
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Sandy's Scandals Column
Past and current Scandals
- columns by Sandy Gottstein (aka Mintz)*
* ►February 8, 2010 - Inovio
Biomedical Cervical Cancer Therapeutic Vaccine Generates Dose-Related
Immune Response in Clinical Trial - Inovio via BusinessWire
via Technology Marketing Corporation - "VGX-3100 is a DNA vaccine
targeting the E6 and E7 proteins of human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16
and 18 and is delivered via in vivo electroporation. Similar to
previously reported data from the initial lowest dose cohort of this
phase I trial, the vaccine was found to be generally safe and well
tolerated. While previously reported data showed significant cellular
and humoral immune responses, data from this second, intermediate dose
group highlighted a significantly increased and dose-related immune
response specific to the antigens targeted by the vaccine."..."While
recent HPV preventive vaccines have been successful in protecting
against infections that may lead to cervical cancer, Inovio's
therapeutic vaccine targets the millions of women already infected with
HPV and is intended to treat pre-cancerous cells and cervical cancer
caused by this virus. Current vaccines do not serve this group of
women," Dr. Kim added."
* ►February 6, 2010 - Autism
Findings Retracted
- The New American - "Actress Holly Robinson Peete remembers, 'When my
son was two-and-a-half, he was just recovering from an ear infection
and had been on antibiotics, therefore his immune system was
suppressed. He had already missed several appointments for his
vaccination so his pediatrician wanted to catch him up on all of them
in the same day. Althrough I asked if he’d consider waiting or breaking
up the cocktail, which contains three viruses, he laughed me out of the
office and belittled me. I firmly believe that it took my son to a
place of no return and his body could not handle it. He had a violent
reaction with convulsions and then he stopped talking and slipped into
a silence. He no longer said, 'Hi, Mommy,' he no longer responded to
his name and he no longer made eye contact.”