vaccinations---pros and cons

[Farmfresh]

Kennel cough is going around heavily in my city, a dog could walk into my store and my dog could get it. Or myself, since its a zoonosis apparently?

My bunnies both just died from undetected brain parasites, that ate, literally, half their brain. I could get that, might have, were waiting on state results and necropsies.

I'd take kennel cough any day of the week.

While no one wants brain parasites, Whooping cough is nothing to hack at either. Listen to this info. From http://www.medicinenet.com/pertussis/article.htm

"Bordetella pertussis, was not identified until 1906. In the prevaccination era (during the 1920s and 30s), there were over 250,000 cases of whooping cough per year in the U.S., with up to 9,000 deaths. In the 1940s, the pertussis vaccine, combined with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids (DTP), was introduced. By 1976, the incidence of whooping cough in the U.S. had decreased by over 99%.

During the 1980s, however, the incidence of whooping cough began to increase and has risen steadily, with epidemics typically occurring every three to five years in the U.S. In the last epidemic, which occurred in 2005, 25,616 cases were reported according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2008, over 13,000 cases of whooping cough were reported in the U.S., resulting in 18 deaths.

In 2010, a pertussis epidemic was declared in California. The California Department of Public Health warned in June 2010 that the state was on pace to suffer the most illnesses and deaths due to whooping cough in the past 50 years. In the previous epidemic of 2005, California recorded 3,182 cases and eight deaths.

Unimmunized or incompletely immunized young infants are particularly vulnerable to the infection and its complications, which can include pneumonia and seizures."

Evidence indicates that more people not vaccinating is responsible for these numbers.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

My understanding is that infants cannot be immunized against whooping cough, so the medical community wants at least 80-90% of the rest of the population to be immunized to reduce the number of carriers that can expose infants. But regardless adolescents and adults are likely to be carriers because immunity from childhood vaccines will have worn off in them.

 

[MsPony]

In what part of CA? And how many unhealthy people contracted and then died?

I got the swine flu last year, my immune system was down due to extreme stress, my manager got it because she was pregnant and my boss because is 55+ and has asthma. 7+ people left at work, exposed heavily, and no one got it. This was before the vaccine came out heavily, as it was summer. We are all very close at work, you can tell who's immune system is down and who's isn't.

For every statistic (sp? I'm on my BB) there is more behind it then just numbers.

Btw, I'm not trying to argue argue with you, so don't hold this against me for the rest of our stay here

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I think it is only infants that die of whooping cough. Problem being they cannot be vaccinated and rely on others around them to be immune.

 

[MsPony]

Oh! Now that makes sense about babies. Duh.

 

[Wifezilla]

It is better to get childhood illnesses during childhood and be done with it.

As someone who has had measles and mumps.... GIVE YOUR KID THE VACCINE!!!!

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Oh! Now that makes sense about babies. Duh.

It wasn't really stated outright in the statistics that it is infants dying, but that is my understanding of why whooping cough is considered a big deal, because older people usually just get sick with a bad cough and then recover. I don't think it is considered a deadly disease for older children or adults.

 

[Farmfresh]

There are many different kinds of people with suppressed immune systems. Small infants and old people always take the brunt of any epidemic, but others suffer and die as well.

Sometimes even young people die of common illness.

Last year a friend of mine who works at another school lost a good friend. The man who died was a teacher in her building. He was 28 years old and apparently very healthy except for diabetes which was controllable by diet. He contracted Strep throat and was dead within the week. The final doctor's report was that his immune system was suppressed due to the diabetes.

I know there is no preventing people from dying, but immunization (at least for the basics) can stop some of the spread and some of the pain.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Yes, agreed, elderly, infants, and immuno-compromised are always the susceptible groups.

Whooping cough is probably a more common contagion than most people recognize, it just is not diagnosed or reported unless it becomes life-threatening.

 

[~gd]

they won't forget for long all these unvaccinated kids are bringing them back. lol.

Almost all outbreaks of diseases that there are vaccinations for are amongst vaccinated populations.... go figure... do the research.QUOTE THE RESEARCH YOU ARE THE ONE MAKING THE CLAIM~GD

It is better to get childhood illnesses during childhood and be done with it. Those who get vaccinated then get the diseas as teenagers or adults will pay a heavy price.

Some diseases, mostly bacterial ,you only get once if your immune system remains intact. Others you can have time after time and even become a carrier for. However you have to live through some of those childhood illnesses or be done for indeed. I can remember my mother taking me to play with a girl with chicken pox in hopes that I would catch it at a convient time, I didn't come down with it. so as a elder I wonder if I should get a shot for Shingles which is caused by the same pathogen. There are no easy answers, so though I am pro vaccine I try not to press my views on others and respect the anti group as long as they have given the problem some real thought.~gd