New measles strains

[Guest guest]

Don't know why some posts are not coming through? But, the vaccines

themselves are causing the resistant strains.

When they speak of millions dying every year, these are mostly from Africa,

where they are putting vaccines into them with an alarming rate. Also, they

have decided to give Vitamin A along with the vaccine in third world

countries.

New strains of measles may resist vaccination

By Arthur, Technology Editor

12 April 2001

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health/story.jsp?story=66136

New, more lethal strains of measles could strike unless fresh efforts are

made to increase levels of vaccination around the world, doctors have

warned.

Mutant variants of the virus are now circulating in Africa. They are

resistant to half of the antibodies that humans produce when

vaccinated,according to research by Claude Muller of the National Health

Laboratory in Luxembourg. Although the vaccine now in use is still effective

against existing strains, Dr Muller ­ an adviser to the World Health

Organisation (WHO) ­ warned New Scientist magazine that " we know this family

of viruses mutates rapidly " .

That could lead to super-strains of the virus that would be resistant to the

present vaccine, which contains only a single strain of the virus.

In Britain, vaccination rates against measles have dropped noticeably in the

past five years, leading to a doubling in the number of children without

vaccination. Figures collected by the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS)

show that the proportion of infants being immunised against measles (as well

as mumps and rubella through the MMR vaccination) fell from 92.5 percent to

87 per cent as a dispute grew over whether the MMR jab caused autism.

Though the vaccination rate has level led out at 88 per cent after a

Government publicity campaign to encourage parents to protect their children,

health chiefs are still concerned that it is heading towards 80 per cent ­

the level at which an uncontrollable epidemic could occur.

The WHO is concerned that measles, like TB, could make a fatal return if it

is not stamped out through vaccination, as smallpox was. The increasing ease

with which human viruses can spread through international travel means that

infectious diseases in one country can quickly spread to another. The WHO,

which had wanted to eradicate measles by 2005, now suggests that the death

toll should be halved.

Measles is one of the most dangerous childhood diseases: nearly one million

people die worldwide of measles every year, and the survivors may be left

with permanent injuries, including brain damage. However, only 75 percent of

all the world's children have been vaccinated against the illness, compared

with a WHO target announced three years ago of 90 per cent.

A spokeswoman for the PHLS said: " There was a major outbreak in Dublin last

summer which did lead to several deaths. " Dr Muller said the measles viruses

now circulating would have less chance to evolve into resistant ones if

doctors acted. " We have a window of opportunity, " he told New Scientist.

Bjorn Melgaard, the WHO's head of vaccines, said that the revised target of

halving deaths was " feasible, " adding: " But we may not be able to eradicate

measles. And it might not even be worth it to try. "

document.write( getDateString() );18 February 2003 18:50

[Guest guest]

An old post.

Don't know why some posts are not coming through? But, the vaccines

themselves are causing the resistant strains.

When they speak of millions dying every year, these are mostly from

Africa,

where they are putting vaccines into them with an alarming rate.

Also, they

have decided to give Vitamin A along with the vaccine in third world

countries.

New strains of measles may resist vaccination

By Arthur, Technology Editor

12 April 2001

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health/story.jsp?story=66136

New, more lethal strains of measles could strike unless fresh

efforts are

made to increase levels of vaccination around the world, doctors

have

warned.

Mutant variants of the virus are now circulating in Africa. They are

resistant to half of the antibodies that humans produce when

vaccinated,according to research by Claude Muller of the National

Health

Laboratory in Luxembourg. Although the vaccine now in use is still

effective

against existing strains, Dr Muller ­ an adviser to the World Health

Organisation (WHO) ­ warned New Scientist magazine that " we know this

family

of viruses mutates rapidly " .

That could lead to super-strains of the virus that would be resistant

to the

present vaccine, which contains only a single strain of the virus.

In Britain, vaccination rates against measles have dropped noticeably

in the

past five years, leading to a doubling in the number of children

without

vaccination. Figures collected by the Public Health Laboratory

Service (PHLS)

show that the proportion of infants being immunised against measles

(as well

as mumps and rubella through the MMR vaccination) fell from 92.5

percent to

87 per cent as a dispute grew over whether the MMR jab caused autism.

Though the vaccination rate has level led out at 88 per cent after a

Government publicity campaign to encourage parents to protect their

children,

health chiefs are still concerned that it is heading towards 80 per

cent ­

the level at which an uncontrollable epidemic could occur.

The WHO is concerned that measles, like TB, could make a fatal return

if it

is not stamped out through vaccination, as smallpox was. The

increasing ease

with which human viruses can spread through international travel

means that

infectious diseases in one country can quickly spread to another. The

WHO,

which had wanted to eradicate measles by 2005, now suggests that the

death

toll should be halved.

Measles is one of the most dangerous childhood diseases: nearly one

million

people die worldwide of measles every year, and the survivors may be

left

with permanent injuries, including brain damage. However, only 75

percent of

all the world's children have been vaccinated against the illness,

compared

with a WHO target announced three years ago of 90 per cent.

A spokeswoman for the PHLS said: " There was a major outbreak in

Dublin last

summer which did lead to several deaths. " Dr Muller said the measles

viruses

now circulating would have less chance to evolve into resistant ones

if

doctors acted. " We have a window of opportunity, " he told New

Scientist.

Bjorn Melgaard, the WHO's head of vaccines, said that the revised

target of

halving deaths was " feasible, " adding: " But we may not be able to

eradicate

measles. And it might not even be worth it to try. "

document.write( getDateString() );18 February 2003 18:50