Chickenpox Vaccine May Up Shingles Risk in Elderly

Reuters Health via Yahoo ^ | 5-2-02 | Richard Woodman

[Pharmboy]

LONDON (Reuters Health) - Scientists said on Thursday that vaccinating children against chickenpox (varicella) could increase the risk that adults would develop shingles, a painful blistering rash that is potentially dangerous in the elderly.

The team, at Britain's Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS), said that although vaccination would save thousands of lives over time, thousands of elderly people could also die from the complications of shingles, known as herpes zoster.

Writing in the journal Vaccine, they called for a re-evaluation of the policy of mass chickenpox vaccination that has been introduced already in the United States and is imminent in many other countries. In 1995, the chickenpox vaccine was approved for use in children over 1 year of age in the US and is now required for school entry.

After a bout of naturally-occuring chickenpox, the varicella zoster virus remains dormant in the body and may reactivate decades later to cause shingles, a painful rash that typically strikes chickenpox veterans after the age of 60.

Marc Brisson and his team say their research shows that adults living with children have more exposure to the virus that causes chickenpox and enjoy high levels of protection against shingles. Being close to children means that adults are exposed to the virus, which acts like a booster vaccine against shingles, they believe. But if all children were vaccinated, adults who have had chickenpox would no longer be protected against developing shingles.

The researchers worked out a mathematical model that predicts that eliminating chickenpox in a country the size of the United States would prevent 186 million cases of the disease and 5,000 deaths over 50 years.

However they said it could also result in 21 million more cases of shingles and 5,000 deaths.

The PHLS said in a statement it was working out what the impact might be of introducing a chickenpox vaccine in Britain.

"As more evidence becomes available, it will be shared with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises the Department of Health on the immunisation schedule."

[Pharmboy]

Two points here: 1) the law of unintended consequence strikes again and 2) so much for the argument that the health-industrial complex does not constantly examine and re-examine its therapies.

OK--fire away--I'm wearing my flak jacket and Kevlar helmet.

[GailA]

Having had shingles this year I wouln't wish it on anyone (well maybe except the klintoons and some demon-rats). It is painful and left more scars than my original bout of chickenpox. Thank GOD for Aveeno anti-itch cream it was the ONLY thing that provided relief from the itching and the intense pain.

[Politically Correct]

Marc Brisson and his team say their research shows that adults living with children have more exposure to the virus that causes chickenpox and enjoy high levels of protection against shingles. Being close to children means that adults are exposed to the virus, which acts like a booster vaccine against shingles, they believe. But if all children were vaccinated, adults who have had chickenpox would no longer be protected against developing shingles.

So just give us adults a booster.
I figure that these "scientists" are either idiots or have an agenda.

[Politically Correct]

Or the alternative way to read this is.....
Just let the children die so us old folks won't die of shingles.

Huh?

[Blood of Tyrants]

Gail, if you ever get it again, as soon as you recognize the symptoms, get to the doctor immediately! There is medication that will nip it in the bud. I got a case of shingles about 6 years ago, during my last stressful semester in college and the medication knocked it out in less than a week. College students are the second most likely to get shingles. Probably due to stress.

[KC_for_Freedom]

Or it could really mean this: we don't know much about shingles, its painful and happens long after one has been exposed to the chicken pox virus. Anything we do to change the current situation may result in other changes we don't know much about. Its fun to have articles published.

[GailA]

I have a history of bad reactions to many meds. I used only the Aveeno cream and it took only about 10 days for them to stop being painful. The Aveeno cream was a miracle worker in stopping the pain and itch for hours at a time and dried them up really fast. Neat thing was no side effects.

I thought you could only get them once?

[twigs]

No, it doesn't mean that. What it means is that as we force our population to increase their required number of innoculations, we are exposing them to other, unknown risks. I had shingles when I was 17 and it was incredibly painful, so it's not only older people who get it. While chicken pox can be deadly to a very small number of children, for the most part, it is one of those diseases that is fairly benign. Living is full of risks. Innoculating a relatively benign disease when there are unknown factors (as there always are) does not seem like appropriate public policy.

[twigs]

I thought you could only get them once?

Unfortunately, that's not true. I had chicken pox twice as a kid and shingles as a teenager. Then in college I had a series of eye problems that were assumed to be caused by the same herpes virus that causes chicken pox. When I told my daughter's pediatrician my history, he couldn't assure me that I wouldn't get any of the above when she got chicken pox. Fortunately, I didn't, but I wouldn't be surprised anytime any of them cropped up again.

[Jim Noble]

>>What it means is that as we force our population to increase their required number of innoculations, we are exposing them to other, unknown risks<<

My oldest daughter is one of the rapidly increasing number of children with peanut allergy.

Her MDs think that the "epidemic" of peanut allergy may be a result of all those little immune systems being revved up, now with no challenges from "usual childhood diseases", getting fixed on common environmental antigens instead.

[Pharmboy]

You are correct. Valtrex or Famvir will do the trick.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Truthfully, have you EVER heard of a child dying from chicken pox?

From the CDC site, "From 1990 to 1994, before there was a vaccine available, there were about 50 chickenpox deaths in children and 50 chickenpox deaths in adults every year;"

Fifty. Among the MILLIONS of children who got chicken pox. There are more children who drown in bathtubs. Chill out, you are starting to sound like the liberals.

BTW, all my sons have had chicken pox and I plan on exposing my daughter to it in a couple of years.

[twigs]

That's interesting. I didn't know that peanut allergies could be the result of increased "protection." I sympthize with you. The baby of a friend nearly died because a nurse applied a diaper-rash ointment that sent the little boy into anaphylactic shock. Fortnuately, he was in the hospital at the time, for an appointment to determine his allergies, and they were able to save them. The ingredient that caused the reaction? Peanut oil.

[iceskater]

I was wondering when something would come out about any link between the chicken pox vaccine and shingles. This is something I've been wondering about since the vaccine has become routine. You're right about the law of unintended consequences.

[xenophia]

I would feel alot more confident in the industry's assurances of the safety and efficacy of their vaccines if it wasn't true that the pharmaceutical companies get buckets of cash for every vaccine that gets world-wide (or even just country-wide) approval. Schools are now telling parents that their children are required to get a vaccine for a relatively harmless disease in order to attend school. Why? Follow the cash flow. Every day that a child is home ill is a day in which that parent is not productive.

[Pharmboy]

I agree. What's worse than chickenpox is the hepatitis B vaccine story: they want ALL of out kids vaccinated when the high-risk group is mainly male homosexuals and IV drug users (sound familiar?).

[mewzilla]

Here's to having your kids catch the chickenpox the old fashioned way. Seems to me that bleeping vaccine was created for working parents who couldn't be bothered to stay home with sick kids. Lovely price to pay for their convenience.