Measles Virus in Cerebrospinal Fluid

[Guest guest]

Does this troubled teenager prove there IS a link between MMR injections

and autism?

Daily Mail Dec 20, 2002 (no URL - scanned in)

A BOY who changed from being bright and chatty to mute and disturbed after

having the MMR vaccine as a toddler could be the 'missing link' which

proves the combined jab causes autism.

Tests on Sinclair, now 13, have found the measles virus - which is

known to cause brain damage - in the fluid surrounding his brain and inside

his spine.

His mother says she watched helplessly as his personality changed

after being given the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.

The discovery of the measles virus inside his cerebro-spinal fluid is the

most compelling evidence yet to support the theory that the MMR jab could

lead to autism.

Experts believe the virus from the injection travelled from his blood -

where it is supposed to stay in order to produce immunity - into his spinal

fluid, where it attacked his brain.

Two leading neurologists who have studied 's case believe MMR is

responsible for causing brain damage which sparked his autism.

Fears of a link have led to record numbers of parents shunning the MMR

jab, resulting in warnings that Britan is facing a growing threat of

measles outbreaks.

But further scientific tests which could definitively prove a causal link

have stalled because the Government is refusing to fund a legal chal–lenge

against the manufacturers of the vaccine.

The teenager is among those suing vaccine manufacturers for compensation in

a landmark legal battle, which is currently on hold after legal aid was

withdrawn.

Solicitors representing and six other 'lead' cases will launch

another court fight to try to reinstate legal aid in the New Year.

Yesterday, his mother Sin–clair, of Evesham, Worcestershire, said: 'My

son's body is suffused with the measles virus. It is in his brain. What is

it doing there?

'He has never had measles - only the MMR jab. There is no other logical

explanation for the presence of this virus in his spinal fluid other than

the MMR jab.'

Other tests have also shown that the measles virus is in 's blood and

inside bowel tissue.

MRS Sinclair, 39, a marketing officer whose marriage col–lapsed under the

strain of caring for , added: 'I feel very strongly it needs to be

investigated further. I want to know exactly what is wrong with my son in

the hope that there may be something that can be done to make him better.

'He is a lovely boy, but from the moment he had the vaccine he changed

forever.'

is diagnosed as having 'atypical' autism, in that he can maintain eye

contact and show affection. But he is only able to make basic noises to

display his emotions and displays erratic behaviour such as refusing to

wear clothes and ripping up belongings.

Paediatric neurologist Dr Marcel Kinsbourne, a professor of cogni–tive

studies at Tufts University in Massachusetts and the New School University,

New York, is planning to give evidence support–ing the claim that MMR

caused 's autism.

He is backed by another eminent neurologist, Professor Menkes,

emeritus professor of neurology and paediatrics at the University of

Califor–nia in Los Angeles.

Yesterday, solicitor Barr, of law firm , which is

representing the families in their compensation bid, said: 'I have talked

to leading virologists and they say you should never find measles virus in

the brain and it is a clear indication that it has caused damage. 'It is

the equivalent of finding the smoking gun and the bullet.' Brain damage is

already known to be a risk of suf–fering measles infection.

At the age of 15 months, just before he was given a first dose of MMR,

was able to talk in short sentences and enjoyed singing nursery rhymes.

After the first injection in 1992, he became withdrawn, lethargic and

stopped speaking.

Mrs Sinclair, who has two other children Jack, 14, and Rory, eight, said:

'He had a temperature and became very withdrawn. He would also take my hand

and press it to his head. It was as if he was trying to tell me he had a

terrible headache.'

was mistakenly given a second dose of MMR vaccine, just over a year

later, instead of the Hib vaccine against a pneumococcal infection.

'That seemed to compound things,' said Mrs Sinclair. 'He was struggling to

find words, he would scream for hours on end.'

A sample of spinal fluid was taken from and six other children

involved in the MMR court case in a hospital in Detroit last year.

No NHS or private hospital in the UK would carry out the tests.

PROFESSOR O'Leary, of Trinity College in Dublin, then carried out

screening at his private firm Unigenetics and found the measles virus in

three samples of spinal fluid. Crucially, one of these contained an MMR

strain of measles.

In the case of and another child, doctors were unable to iden–tify

the strain of the virus. Further tests are needed.

However, control studies on spinal fluid samples from 19 chil–dren with

leukaemia found only one case with measles virus in spinal fluid. Children

with leukaemia may be more suscepti–ble to viruses due to their illness.

Three drug firms - Glaxo-Kline, Merck and Co and Aventis Pasteur MSD -

are being sued over the MMR jab.

The case is seen as a crucial test of whether MMR is safe.'

The Legal Services Commission, which provides legal aid, decided to

withdraw funding in September. Some £15million had already been spent

pursuing the case. A further £l0million was thought to be needed to bring

the case to court.

A spokesman said: 'This was the first case in which research had been

funded by legal aid.

'In retrospect it was not effective or appropriate for the LSC to fund

research. The courts are not the place to prove medical truths.'

The Department of Health said it could not comment on any research which

had discovered measles virus in spinal fluid until it had been

independently reviewed.

A spokesman said: 'We want to see parents given the facts - that there is

no credible scientific evidence showing an association between MMR and autism.

'It remains the best form of protection for your child.'

b.marsh@...

--------------------------------------------------------

Sheri Nakken, R.N., MA, Classical Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

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