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Marianne wrote:
> I would like to make a comment on poliovaccines.
> As most people know, there are two types of poliovaccines, the Sabin
> and the Salk vaccine. Sabin consists of life attenuated strains, Salk
> of inactivated virulent strains. Both vaccines are excellent.
> However it was found that in third world countries the Sabin vaccine
> sometimes does not work despite intact cooling chains etc. In
> developped countries, Sabin 'always' works. The reasons for the
> vaccine failure in third world countries are not clear, and include
> infection with too many different enteroviruses (poliov belongs to
> that family), malnutrition (reduces immune response) and damaged
> GI tract.

[snip...]

Something else to consider when getting your children their shots: If
*anyone* in the household is "immune-compromised" (and that includes many
celiacs), the children should *not* receive the Sabin vaccine! The Sabin
vaccine may leave the child shedding live polio virus for a week or so -
a *distinct* hazard if someone in the house is immune-compromised!

Before our pediatrician started Erin's shots, he asked if anyone in the
house was immune-compromised. When we asked why he needed to know, he
explained that several vaccination schedules were changed, and that the
child would receive IPV (Salk vaccine) rather than OPV (Sabin - oral),
and that the injectable vaccine was ordered fresh each time it was
needed. He also explained about virus shedding, and a few other things.

So, if your baby-doctor is not as astute as ours (he wanted parent and
grandparent histories before Erin was born, etc.) - maybe you should ask
*your doctor* these questions! (He also offered my husband the Varivax
[chickenpox] vaccine if his MD wouldn't give it to him since Dan has not
had the chickenpox, but agreed with me that Erin should only get the
vaccine if she reaches 12 without getting it!)

YMMV, and ask *your doctor*

karen

[log in to unmask]   (if urgent, use [log in to unmask] - the better half)
Karen Davis of Davis and Associates (818)892-8555
           "Pain is Mother Nature's way of telling us to slow down;
                       Death is her way of INSISTING!"