Email, dated 23.1.2009:
[*QUOTE*]
------------------------------------------------------------
I received an emergency alert from the AAP today:
"Prevention (CDC) today announced that five cases of Haemophilus influenzae, type b
(Hib), invasive disease (meningitis, pneumonia and epiglottitis) were confirmed in
2008 in Minnesota. This is the highest number of cases of this vaccine-preventable
disease in children under 5 years of age that Minnesota has seen since 1991.
Three patients had received no vaccinations due to parent or guardian deferral or
refusal of vaccinations. One of the unimmunized patients, a 7-month-old infant, died
of Hib disease. Two of the remaining children received age-appropriate
immunizations. One child, a 5-month-old, had received two Hib immunizations. The
other child was 15 months old and was fully vaccinated for age but, subsequent to
Hib infection, was diagnosed with an immune deficiency (hypogammaglobulinemia)."
I'm lucky enough to have missed out on the days of Hib, which pretty much ended when
the vaccine hit in the early 80's. I've never seen a case of Hib. I've seen
non-typeable, but it is nowhere near as bad. But man have I heard horror stories of
kids with heads full of puss or suffocating from rapidly progressing epiglottitis. I
can only hope that this represents a statistical fluke but it seems very possible
that this is the beginning of the inevitable result of increasing numbers of parents
refusing the vaccinate their children.
------------------------------------------------------------
[*/QUOTE*]
.
