A NOT-SO-PERFECT VACCINE: THE DIPHTHERIA, TETANUS AND ACELLULAR PERTUSSIS VACCINE: AN INVESTIGATION

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http://www.redflagsweekly.com/conferences/vaccines/2003_dec04.html

 

 

A NOT-SO-PERFECT VACCINE: THE DIPHTHERIA, TETANUS AND ACELLULAR PERTUSSIS

VACCINE: AN INVESTIGATION

 

By RFD Columnist, F. Edward Yazbak, MD, FAAP.

 

TL Autism Research

Falmouth, Massachusetts

 

E-mail: tlautstudy

The Disease

Pertussis or Whooping Cough is an acute infectious disease caused by Bordetella

pertussis. The disease has been described for centuries; the organism was first

isolated in 1906. Whooping cough is transmitted through the respiratory route

usually by droplets of secretions.

 

The incubation period is usually 7 to 14 days but may be as short as 5 days and

as long as 21 days. The disease evolves in three phases. Patients are most

contagious during the initial catarrhal stage consisting usually of minor cold

symptoms and a slight nocturnal cough. During the paroxysmal stage, which may

last for several weeks, the patient has the more characteristic coughing spells,

which culminate in an inspiratory whoop and are often followed by vomiting.

There is usually a marked leucocytosis (increased white count) and lymphocytosis

(increased lymphocyte count). In newborns and young infants, whooping cough may

present as apnea and cyanotic spells. During the convalescent stage, the

paroxysms subside; the patient coughs less and clinical improvement becomes

evident.

 

Erythromycin is the antibiotic of choice for the treatment of whooping cough. If

given early, it shortens the course of the illness and reduces its severity.

Because it also eradicates the organism from the secretions, it decreases spread

and communicability.

 

Erythromycin or trimeththoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis is of value for

close contacts and is recommended regardless of vaccination status.

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “Since

widespread use of the vaccine, incidence (of whooping cough) has decreased more

than 98%, to an average of about 3700 cases per year since 1980... Whole-cell

pertussis vaccine is composed of the suspension of formalin–inactivated B.

pertussis cells. It was developed in the 1930s, and used widely in clinical

practice by the mid 1940s”.

 

Until lately, the whole cell pertussis vaccine was available in combination with

diphtheria and tetanus toxoids as DTP and contained thimerosal, a mercury

derivative. The vaccine was also sometimes referred to as DPT. Both DTP and DPT

refer here to the same product: Diphtheria and Tetanus toxoids plus whole-cell

Pertussis vaccine.

 

 

The following statements are basic to whooping cough and whooping cough

vaccination:

 

The incidence of whooping cough in the United States had decreased before the

introduction of the pertussis vaccine

It has continued to decrease since the vaccine has been in use.

Whooping cough may be a serious and potentially fatal illness in young and

vulnerable infants.

DTP vaccination has been associated with many severe and permanent adverse

events including encephalopathy, brain damage, seizures, and even death. The

reactions have been attributed to the pertussis component.

 

An excellent resource on the subject of DTP vaccine reactions is the website of

the National Vaccine Information Center (1).

 

Of 253 infant deaths cases awarded more than 61 million dollars by the US Court

of Federal Claims in the 1990s, 224, or 86%, were attributed to vaccination with

DTP. The cause of death had originally been listed as Sudden Infant Death

Syndrome (SIDS) in 90 of these cases or 40%. It should be noted that relatively

few vaccine injury cases are ever filed in the United States and that, in only a

small percentage of those cases, are the plaintiffs compensated.

 

There were sporadic reports of serious neurological complications and death

following DTP vaccination in the fifties and sixties

 

In 1977, G. T. Stewart (United Kingdom) published an important study in the

Lancet titled “Vaccination against whooping-cough. Efficacy versus risks”(2).

 

“Calculations based on the mortality of whooping cough before 1957 predict

accurately the subsequent decline and the present low mortality. Notifications

of incidence, though variable and incomplete, follow the same pattern of steady

decline in the United Kingdom and are unaffected either by small-scale

vaccination beginning about 1948 or by nationwide vaccination beginning in 1957…

attack-rates may be lower and complications fewer in vaccinated children… No

protection by vaccination is demonstrable in infants…Adverse reactions and

neurotoxicity following vaccinations were studied in 160 cases. In 79, the

relationship to pertussis vaccine was strong. In 14 of these cases, reaction was

transient but characteristic of a syndrome of shock and cerebral disturbance,

which, in the other 65 cases, was followed by convulsions, hyperkinesis, and

severe mental defect. It seems likely that most adverse reactions are unreported

and that many are overlooked. Precise information about the efficacy

and safety of this vaccine is lacking, because existing provisions, national

and international, for epidemiological surveillance and evaluation are

inadequate. The claim by official bodies that the risks of whooping-cough exceed

those of vaccination is questionable, at least in the U.K.”

 

In 1979, Stewart reported in the Scottish Medical Journal (3):

 

“Herd infections, especially in children, are strongly influenced

epidemiologically by social and demographic factors which have contributed

favorably to a general decline in incidence and mortality during the past 50

years or more. Intervention procedures such as immunization cannot be evaluated

or planned realistically except against these background factors. Assessed in

this way, immunization against diphtheria and poliomyelitis was unequivocally

effective in reducing incidence and morbidity of these diseases. By comparison,

pertussis vaccine has a very limited protective effect, the value of which, as

morbidity decreases, may be offset by the intrinsic toxicity of the vaccine and

by the possibility of infrequent but severe brain damage in some children. “

 

In 1982, William C. Torch, MD, Director of Child Neurology, University of Nevada

School of Medicine presented a study at the 34th American Academy of Pediatrics

(AAP) Meeting and stated: “These data show that DPT vaccination may be a

generally unrecognized major cause of sudden infant and early childhood deaths,

and that the risks of immunization may outweigh its potential benefits. A need

for a reevaluation and possible modification of current vaccination procedures

is indicated by this study. " The Torch study findings were

criticized as anecdotal.

 

In 1983, Baraff et al. reported a DTP-Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

temporal association in the Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. They

reviewed cases of SIDS recorded in Los Angeles County and interviewed 145

families. The authors reported that there was a statistically significant excess

of deaths in the first day and first week after DTP, a “temporal association”.

The authors rejected the need to use a “Control Group” relying on the assumption

that “there should be no temporal association between DTP immunization and SIDS,

were there no causal relationship between these two events.”

 

In 1985, Professor G. T Stewart published another review article (4) titled

“Whooping cough and pertussis vaccine: a comparison of risks and benefits in

Britain during the period 1968-83”, in which he stated:

 

“Deaths of infants with whooping cough have decreased steadily since 1900 [i.e.

before the isolation of the causative bacteria and the development of the

vaccine], the rate since 1975 being the lowest ever. Active epidemiological

surveillance in Glasgow, with a population of 216,000 children and 13,000 births

annually, shows that outbreaks and severe cases requiring admission to hospital

were concentrated consistently in a few areas of deprivation… There were no

deaths attributable to proven or suspected infections with Bordetella pertussis

during the period 1972-1983. No cases of encephalopathy, permanent brain damage

or lung damage were detected in a follow up of all cases notified, surveyed or

admitted to hospital between 1975 and 1982. Collectively, these national and

local data provided estimates of the frequency of infection, complications of

infection, admission to hospital and death in children with whooping cough for

comparison with local, national and published estimates

of the frequency and severity of adverse reactions, encephalopathy, permanent

brain damage and death after injections of pertussis vaccine. It is concluded

that, in children living in non-deprived circumstances in Britain, the risk of

pertussis vaccine during the period 1970-83 exceeded those of whooping cough. In

some deprived sectors, the risks from whooping cough might have been marginally

higher but there was no evidence that this was associated with any increase in

deaths or permanent disabilities.”

 

A multidisciplinary workshop on the Neurologic Complications of Pertussis and

Pertussis Vaccination was held in the fall of 1989 in Warrenton Virginia.

Professors J. H. Menkes and M. Kinsbourne, both renowned neurologists and

accepted experts in the field, published the report of that workshop which can

be found in its entirety on the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) web

site. To this day, the report remains the most careful and unbiased reference on

the subject and the following information is gratefully reproduced. (2)

 

About the disease: “ Pertussis mortality in the US is 2-3/1000 cases. Seizures

occur in 1.9% of cases, and encephalopathy in 0.3%. It appears likely that a

combination of one or more bacterial toxins, asphyxia, CO2 retention and loss of

cerebral vascular autoregulation is responsible for the neurologic symptoms.

The timing of the encephalopathy, suggests that it results from increased lysis

of bacteria and release of endotoxin. The encephalopathy is not confined to the

paroxysmal phase.

 

About the DTP vaccines: In evaluating side reactions to the vaccine, the

following must be kept in mind:

 

Vaccines are not standardized between manufacturers

For a given manufacture, vaccines are not standardized from one batch to

another.

Unless the vaccine is properly prepared and refrigerated, its potency and

reactivity vary with shelf life.

 

In fact, the whole question of vaccine detoxification has never been

systematically investigated.

 

Listed in order of increasing severity, observed adverse reactions include

irritability, persistent, unusually high pitch crying, somnolence, seizures, a

shock-like “hypotensive, hyporesponsive” state, and encephalopathy. Since the

neurologic picture is not specific for pertussis vaccination, its temporal

relationship to the vaccination is that critical variable for determining

causation.

 

Menckes and Kinsbourne went on to say that although the majority of seizures

following pertussis vaccination were associated with fever, it was the consensus

of the neurologists attending the workshop, that they did not represent febrile

convulsions but that they were in fact non-benign convulsions.

 

The incidence of post-vaccine encephalopathy was difficult to ascertain. Quoting

a British study by Miller published in the British Medical Journal in 1981,

Menkes and Knsbourne stated: “…The relative risk of a previously normal infant

for the onset of an illness leading to permanent encephalopathy was 4.2 times

greater during the first 72 hours following DPT vaccination than in controls.

From this study, the risk of permanent brain damage following DPT has been

calculated as 1:310,000 doses….”

 

[Please note that the authors referred to “doses”. If each child actually

received the recommended primary series (3 doses) and boosters (2 doses), then

potentially, permanent brain damage from the DTP vaccine could be as frequent as

1:60,000 children}

 

It was the consensus of the workshop, and in particular, the participating

neurologists, that although the vaccine may possibly accelerate neurologic signs

or symptoms in some children, and a small proportion of apparent complications

may be coincidental, there was no inherent difficulty in assigning cause and

effect to the vaccine and subsequent neurologic residua…. In summary, it was the

consensus that there is sufficient experimental data to implicate both endotoxin

and PT (Pertussis Toxin) in adverse neurologic reactions to pertussis vaccine.”

 

Menkes & Kinsborne also reviewed the findings in 20 cases of seizures and

encephalopathy following DTP vaccination seen by Prof. Jean Aicardi (Hopital des

Enfants Malades, Paris). In all cases symptoms started within 72 hours, and

usually within 24 hours of pertussis vaccination. Fifteen of the 20 patients

developed symptoms within 12 hours of the vaccination. There was frequently

change in consciousness or coma of several days duration, followed by an abrupt

developmental arrest. Seizures presented as myoclonic epilepsy or status

epilepticus. The EEG was originally normal in 75% of the cases but seriously

deteriorated with time. The examination of the cerebrospinal fluid usually

revealed normal findings.

 

The Japanese Experience

 

There were 37 infant deaths and 57 “temporally related severe events” after DTP

vaccination in Japan between 1970 and 1974. Because of a boycott by physicians

and parents, the government stopped the vaccination program in 1975 to examine

the situation. It then recommended resumption of DTP vaccination starting at 24

months of age. In the period that followed, there were only TWO reports of

children older than 2 filed for vaccine compensation but not a single infant

death and Japan’s infant mortality rate (IMR) dropped from 17th to lowest in the

world. [The United States ranked 23rd highest in infant mortality among the 29

industrialized countries in 1995. (8) In 2000, Japan had the lowest IMR among

the G7 nations with 3.9 infant deaths per 1000 live birth; The US had the

highest, with 6.8 per 1000.]

 

After a while and because of an increase in the number of cases of whooping

cough, the vaccine authorities in Japan gave parents the choice to start their

children’s DTP vaccination between 3 and 48 months of age.(Vaccination is not

compulsory in Japan.) According to Hiroshi Nishida, the rate of Sudden Infant

Death Syndrome (SIDS) increased by 371% from 0.07% in 1980 to 0.33% in 1992, in

spite of the fact that starting in 1981, DTaP (Diphtheria and Tetanus toxoids

with acellular pertussis vaccine) which caused fewer reactions, was used

exclusively in Japan. Presently, according to the World Health Organization

(WHO), the recommendation for the DTaP primary series in Japan is two injections

between 3 and 90 months and a third between 6 and 90 months of age (6)

 

U.S. Concerns

 

In “The true story of pertussis vaccination: a sordid legacy?” Geier and Geier

discussed the DTP experience in detail. (7) Their article is a superior review

of the subject.

 

A special committee of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) held repeated meetings on

DTP vaccination and its problems. It reported the following:

 

In 1985: There is the highest priority to switch to acellular pertussis vaccine

 

In 1990: There is sufficient evidence that whole-cell pertussis vaccine causes

acute encephalopathy but the evidence is not conclusive enough that the vaccine

causes brain damage.

 

In 1993: Whole-cell pertussis vaccine causes brain damage.

 

[Also in 1993, the British National Childhood Encephalopathy Study (NCES) group

conceded that whole-cell pertussis vaccine caused permanent brain damage]

 

In 1994: Whole-cell. pertussis vaccine was more likely than not responsible for

causing encephalitic reactions with a reasonable degree of medical certainty for

up to 7 days after immunization in previously normal children.

 

The DTAP Vaccine

 

[Here, I’ll refer to the vaccine as DTAP, instead of DTaP]

 

The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of DTAP for booster doses

in 1991 and for all doses in 1996. All DTP and DTAP products used in the US

contained thimerosal, a mercury derivative. In 1999, the AAP and FDA recommended

that thimerosal be removed from pediatric vaccines.

 

Several acellular pertussis vaccines were developed and licensed in the United

States. They contained different purified inactivated components of B. pertussis

in varying concentrations and were always combined with diphtheria and tetanus

toxoids. No single antigen pertussis vaccine has been available commercially for

sometime. According to the CDC:

 

“Contraindications to further vaccination with DTP or DTAP are severe allergic

reactions to a prior dose of vaccine or vaccine component and encephalopathy,

not due to another identifiable cause, within 7 days of vaccination…Certain

infrequent adverse events following pertussis vaccination will generally

contraindicate subsequent doses of pertussis vaccine. These adverse events are:

Temperature to 105°F within 48 hours, not due to another identifieable cause,

Collapse or shock-like state (hypotensive-hyporesponsive episode) within 48

hours, Persistent, inconsolable crying lasting 3 hours or more and Convulsions

with or without fever occurring within 3 days…Acellular pertussis vaccine should

not be substituted in children who have a valid contraindication to whole cell

pertussis vaccine. If a valid contraindication or precaution exists, DT should

be used for the remaining doses on the schedule.” (9)

 

The manufacturer of one of the still available DTAP products lists the same

contraindications as those of the CDC; specifically that encephalopathy (not due

to other identifiable causes) within 7 days of vaccination is a contraindication

for further pertussis vaccination. According to that manufacturer,

encephalopathy consists of major alterations of consciousness, unresponsiveness,

generalized or focal seizures that persist for more than a few hours and failure

to recover within a few hours. (10)

 

Interestingly, and most unfortunately, as shown in the box below, filing for

“on-table” vaccine compensation is allowed only if encephalopathy has occurred

in the 72 hours following vaccination with a pertussis antigen-containing

vaccine (11)

 

National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act

Vaccine Injury Table

Effective August 26, 2002

 

 

Vaccine

 

 

Adverse Event

 

 

Time Interval

 

 

I. Tetanus toxoid-containing vaccines (e.g., DTaP, DTP-Hib, DT; Td, or TT)

 

 

A. Anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock

 

 

0-4 hours

 

 

B. Brachial neuritis

 

 

2-28 days

 

 

C. Any acute complication or sequela (including death) of above events

 

 

Not applicable

 

 

II. Pertussis antigen-containing vaccines (e.g., DTaP, DTP, P, DTP-Hib)

 

 

A. Anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock

 

 

0-4 hours

 

 

B. Encephalopathy (or encephalitis)

 

 

0-72 hours

 

 

C. Any acute complication or sequela (including death) of above events

 

 

Not applicable

 

 

It seems strange that under a banner saying Helping America Heal, the vaccine

injury table limits compensation to those cases where encephalopathy or

encephalitis occurred within 72 hours of vaccination when the CDC, a special

committee of the IOM and the vaccine manufacturer state that encephalopathy can

occur within 7 days of vaccination with a pertussis antigen.

 

It is imperative to note that all pertussis antigen-containing vaccines

including DTaP are accepted as potential causes of encephalopathy and not only

DTP.

 

Many physicians and indeed many lawyers are under the impression that “all

pertussis vaccine problems” have disappeared with the DTP. The CDC and the

vaccine manufacturers have encouraged such feeling of safety and security.

 

Let’s then carefully review, possibly for the first time, the DTAP-associated

problems, including SIDS deaths, reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting

System (VAERS).

 

Pertussis Deaths

 

The Perspective.

 

There were 92 deaths due to whooping cough in the United States between 1980 and

1995 or on average of 6 cases a year.

 

In comparison:

 

In the same 15 years, there were 266 deaths due to tetanus, an average of 18

cases a year. (9)

During July-August 1998, eleven children died because they were entrapped in

the trunk of a car. (12)

According to the National Safe KIDS Campaign, falls killed 112 children in

1997 alone and about 18 children die annually after falling from windows. (13)

53 children died in drowning accidents in 1999 in the state of Georgia alone

(14)

 

Of the 36 children whose cases were reviewed, 4 had drowned in a bathtub at

home.

 

The vaccine authorities were extremely concerned in 2000 because there had been

an increase in the number of cases of pertussis and 17 deaths (15). All infants

who died were under 4 months of age.

 

In Scandals-07/26/02, Sandy Mintz discussed those 17 deaths in relation to the

DTAP reports to VAERS. (16)

 

There were 57 DTAP-associated deaths in 1998 (reported by the end of 2000)

If indeed only 10% of cases are ever reported to VAERS, then possibly 570

deaths actually occurred shortly after DTAP vaccination, most often with other

vaccines.

There were 23 reports of infants expiring by the day following vaccination.

Even without factoring in any under-reporting to VAERS, the number of infants

reported to have died by the day following DTaP vaccination in 1998 is still

more than the number who died as a result of whooping cough in the year 2000

 

Vaccination rates are not uniform nationwide. The perspective of the Mintz

analysis becomes even more disturbing when one looks at the proportion of

infants who had actually been vaccinated according to the CDC recommendations.

From January to December 1998, only 7 (seven) states achieved the 90%

vaccination goal for four doses of the combined diphtheria, tetanus and

pertussis vaccines. (17)

DTP, DTAP and VAERS

Between 1990 through the end of 2002 the following reports were filed with

VAERS. In most of them, multiple vaccines were administered at the same

time.

 

 

DTP

 

DTAP

 

All Reports

 

26,581

 

18,484

 

Deaths

 

All

 

942

 

416

 

% of total

 

3.5

 

2.2

 

SIDS

 

All

 

568

 

243

 

% of total

 

2.1

 

1.3

 

% of deaths

 

60.3

 

58.4

 

Life Threat

 

All

 

561

 

348

 

Hospitalized

 

All

 

3,518

 

1,721

 

Under age 1

 

2,481

 

1,087

 

Apnea

 

All

 

953

 

331

 

Under age 1

 

784

 

264

 

Seizures

 

All

 

193

 

275

 

Under age 1

 

116

 

170

 

Stupor

 

All

 

1,760

 

701

 

Under age 1

 

1,253

 

425

 

Fever

 

All

 

5,617

 

2,839

 

Under age 1

 

3,122

 

1,130

 

 

Table I

A comparison between DTP and DTAP reports to VAERS is not possible because as

DTP was phased out, DTAP was gradually introduced during the 1990’s. In

addition, neither the number of doses distributed nor the size of the different

vaccine lots is availableDTAP in VAERS

As mentioned earlier, the US Court of Federal Claims agreed that DTP vaccination

was responsible for 224 infant deaths in the 1990s and awarded compensation to

the plaintiffs. In 90 of these infants or 40%, the cause of death had originally

been listed as SIDS.

 

A careful VAERS search was conducted to examine SIDS reports after DTAP

vaccination in a small and hopefully representative sample. The first 25

consecutive reports of infants who received DTAP in 2000 and died within 72

hours were reviewed. The 72-hour period was selected because of the time

limitation on the vaccine injury table. All the selected reports can be found in

pages 40 to 48 of the 84 pages of death reports after DTAP. In 23 cases, the

infant had received other vaccines.

 

HBHEPB is a combination of Hepatitis B and HIB vaccines.

HEP is Hepatitis B vaccine

HIB is Hemophilus Influenzae B vaccine

IPV is Inactivated Polio Vaccine

PNC is the pneumococcus-7 vaccine.

 

 

Case

 

Age

 

Sex

 

State

 

Other vaccines administered

 

Inter-

 

val to

 

Death

 

DTAP

 

Lot #

 

Cause Death Notes

 

134070

 

6m F

 

OH

 

None

 

3 d

 

DPTA917A2

 

SIDS a

 

150474

 

3m M

 

MT

 

HIB, IPV

 

1 d

 

467675

 

b

 

150475

 

5m M

 

IL

 

None

 

2 d

 

Not listed

 

SIDS

 

150874

 

3m M

 

TX

 

HIB, IPV

 

< 1 d

 

1004R

 

SIDS c

 

150931

 

2m F

 

MA

 

HIB, IPV

 

1 d

 

40040CA

 

d

 

151190

 

3m M

 

OR

 

HBHEPB, IPV

 

3 d

 

DTAP9121A2

 

SIDS

 

151618

 

2m M

 

PA

 

HBHEPB, IPV

 

2 d

 

91682

 

e

 

151620

 

3m M

 

LA

 

HBHPV, IPV

 

< 1 d

 

A919A2

 

SIDS f

 

151621

 

2m M

 

CT

 

HIB, IPV

 

1 d

 

U0045BA

 

SIDS g

 

151867

 

2m M

 

GA

 

HBHEPB, IPV

 

1 d

 

U0137BA

 

SIDS h

 

152213

 

2m M

 

AR

 

HEP, HIB, IPV

 

1 d

 

462354

 

i

 

152301

 

2m M

 

OH

 

HBHEPB, IPV

 

< 1 d

 

467673

 

SIDS

 

152417

 

2m M

 

OH

 

HIB, IPV

 

3 d

 

7389AA

 

SIDS

 

152502

 

1m M

 

AL

 

IPV

 

1 d

 

UA475AA

 

j

 

153392

 

2m M

 

NV

 

HEP, HIB, IPV

 

< 1 d

 

469396

 

k

 

154522

 

?? M

 

FL

 

HIB, PNC

 

3 d

 

920A2

 

l

 

155423

 

3m M

 

MI

 

HEP, HIB< IPV

 

2 d

 

918A2

 

SIDS

 

156329

 

2m M

 

MS

 

HBHEPB, IPV

 

1 d.

 

U0056FA

 

SIDS

 

156370

 

2m M

 

TX

 

HEP

 

< 1 d

 

UD173CA

 

m

 

156861

 

3m M

 

AL

 

HEP, HIB, IPV

 

3 d.

 

D009

 

SIDS

 

158477

 

2m. F

 

NM

 

HBHEPB, IPV

 

1 d.

 

U0137BA

 

SIDS

 

159003

 

2m. M

 

?

 

HBHEPB, IPV, PNC

 

1 d.

 

467674

 

SIDS n

 

159916

 

3m. F

 

TX

 

HBHEPB, IPV, PNC

 

3 d.

 

U0317BB

 

o

 

160417

 

2m F

 

KY

 

HEP, HIB, IPV

 

2 d

 

467010

 

SIDS

 

160877

 

2m M

 

VA

 

HEP, PNC

 

3 d

 

U0317BB

 

p

 

 

Table II

 

Notes

 

Comments (in bold)

 

Case 134070: Past history of Respiratory Distress Syndrome and seizures.

Comment: Patient at risk. There is at least a warning (if not a

contra-indication) listed concerning administering a pertussis

antigen-containing vaccine to infants with seizures.

Case 150474: Past history: Negative. Symptoms: Apnea.

Cause of death: “Accidental suffocation 24 hours post vaccination.”

Comment: It is difficult if not impossible to comment on such a statement!

Case 150874: Past history: On amoxicillin till 3 days prior to vaccination.

“Autopsy shows pulmonary vascular congestion, pulmonary edema, tracheobronchitis

with bronchiolotis and peri-bronchiolar pulmonary inflammation, generalized

visceral congestion, sudden infant death”

Comment: The infant was sick and on antibiotics 3 days before receiving 3

vaccines and died within 24 hours from vaccination. The autopsy revealed

findings suggesting infection. Such “immune paralysis” has been described after

vaccination. It simply means that while the baby’s immune system is busy dealing

with the vaccine, it is overwhelmed by an intercurrent infection. A limited and

specific form, Hemophilus Influenzae B invasive disease, is eligible for

compensation as a vaccine injury if it occurs within 7 days of HIB vaccination.

For the sake of completion, reports to VAERS with the same HIB lot number

(512453A) were reviewed. There were 30 reports in all and one other death (case

131636): A 4-month old baby girl from NY who died within 24 hours of vaccination

and who had had urological surgery 1 month earlier. The autopsy revealed a large

abscess of the urinary bladder.

Case 150931: Symptoms: Apnea. “Pt was well and went to sleep at approximately

10:30 pm. Found at 6:00 am not breathing. Pt had been put to sleep on her side

but was found on stomach.

Comment: Did this baby expire because she was on her stomach or because she had

received 5 antigens one day earlier?

Case 151618: Patient was on Augmentin. Preexisting Conditions: History of

otitis media, bronchiolitis, colic, gas, seborrhea. “ Per mother’s report,

infant experienced diarrhea, nasal congestion, no fever was noted. Autopsy

states cause of death as interstital pneumonitis. Autopsy shows also pulmonary

edema, focal intrapulmonic hemorrhage’

Comment: In this case, the suggestion is that the baby had an infection, which

resulted in his death 2 days after he received 6 antigens. It is well known that

Augmentin can cause diarrhea.

Case 151620: Preexisting Conditions: Prematurity at 26 weeks, agenesis of

corpus callosum. Patient was on medication for gastro-esophageal reflux and gas.

Comment: This baby had problems and was at risk. He was probably still very

small at 3 months of age. He received six antigens (and possibly 50 micrograms

of mercury) less than 24 hours before death.

Case 151621: Symptoms:Apnea, Heart Arrest, SIDS. “Found apneic and asystolic,

tied up in blankets 24 hours after vax. Autopsy shows final cause of death as

sudden infant death syndrome”

Comment: “Tied up in blankets” or 24 hours after 6 antigens.

Case 151867: Premature. Twin A.

Comment: Infant at risk.

Case 152213: Symptoms: Agitation. “Mother reports infant fussy night of

03/30/00. Laid infant on stomach and patted his back. Infant and mother fell

asleep. Mother woke up and infant not breathing. Mother called 911”. Autopsy

done. No report.

Comment: Sleep position? Interval 24 hours.

Case 152502: Past history: Cleft palate, hypospadias. “Post vax, infant was

in bed with parents - found with mucus and blood in mouth early in the morning

on 12/07. 911 was called. Unable to resuscitate. Both parents smoke. Moved into

new trailer recently.”

Comment: Smoking, Trailer, Sleeping with parents? Interval 24 hours, baby not

2-month old yet.

Case 153392: “Pt did not wake up the morning after shots were given. Autopsy

gives cause of death as positional asphyxia”

Comment: “Positional asphyxia” ? Interval less than 24 hours!

Case 154522: Past history: Prematurity, Bronchopulmonary dysplasia and

failure to thrive. “Three days post vax the pt died of unknown cause most likely

related to severe BPD, prematurity and failure to thrive.”

Comment: Infant at risk. The death is attributed to “unknown causes” plus

pre-existing risk factors not to vaccines plus pre-existing risk factors.

Case 156370: Symptoms: Acidosis, Anemia, Cardiovascular disease,

Encephalopathy, Heart arrest, Hyperkalemia, Hypoxia, Infection, Bacterial

pneumonia. “Pt found asystolic and pulseless in the field. Received epinephrine

x 4 with heart rate obtained. Transferred to ICU, intubated but no respirations,

fixed pupils, no corneal reflexes. Initial PH: 6.5; pt died about 15 hours after

arrival with cardiopulmonary arrest.”

Cause of death: Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) with disseminated

intravascular coagulopathy, probably due to viral infection.

No pre-existing conditions were reported. Under laboratory results, the reporter

states: ”Initial hemoglobin was normal then dropped to <5. Initially severe

acidosis, never corrected: potassium increased to 8.6”.

Comment: It is hard to believe that anyone can think that a healthy 2-month old

baby experienced all these catastrophic events and died because of a viral

illness within 24 hours of DTAP and Hepatitis B vaccination. Interestingly, just

three weeks ago, I was asked to comment on a similar situation. A 2-month old

girl developed seizures and “HIE” within 48 hours from vaccination (DTAP, HIB,

IVP and PNC) and is now permanently brain damaged. The treating neurologist

reported the case to Social Services as possible child abuse or neglect and

effectively destroyed the life of two innocent young parents as well.

 

Case 159003: “Past history: Mother has history of smoking during pregnancy.”

Comment: Mother’s smoking? Seven antigens 24 hours before death?

Case 159916: Past history: Apnea, cyanosis, heart arrest “On 9/14/00, the

baby was found blue and not breathing at 12:30 PM. Baby had been put to sleep at

10:30 am. Paramedics were unable to intubate due to rigor mortis. Taken to the

ER and pronounced dead on arrival as pt was in asystole”.

Case 160877: Past history: Status post stage I surgery for Hypplastic Left

Heart Syndrome. Other medications: Phenobarb, Lasix, Digoxin “20 hours post vax,

the pt had a fever of 100. 72 hours post vax, the pt arrived unresponsive to ER

and died during resuscitative efforts. A blood culture grew pneumococcus. Child

was status post stage I surgery for hypoplastic left heart syndrome”.

Comment: This baby was at high risk when he was vaccinated. He was born with an

underdeveloped left side of the heart and had been through the first stage of

corrective surgery. Immune paralysis may have contributed to his death. It would

have been helpful to know the type of the pneumococcus grown in his blood. There

were 57 VAERS reports of “Sepsis” after administration of the pneumococcal

vaccine (PNC). In several reports, blood cultures were positive for

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus). In many of those cases PNC was the only

vaccine administered. Another infant, a 2-month old female from Pennsylvania

(case 161299) received a dose of PNC from the same lot number (473809) on

10/25/2000 and died on 10/27/2000. She had DTAP and HIB on the same day. Cause

of death was listed as SIDS.

 

* * *

DTAP Hot Lot Search

The DTAP lot number was not reported in case 150475. All other DTAP lots used

were reviewed. Two patients received vaccines from lot U0137BA and another two

received vaccines from lot U0317BB. These two lots were evidently produced in

succession by the same manufacturer.

 

DTAP Lot NumberTotal ReportsDeath ReportsDeath

Report / Case NumberDPTA917A211Patient467675281PatientNot listed

1004R11Patient40040CA31PatientDTAP9121A211Patient9168211PatientA919A2443Pt. +

151619 (1) +152001 (2)U0045BA81Patient U0137BA582Pt. +158477 (3)462354242Pt. +

162748 (4)467673361Patient7389AA884Pt. + 127341 (5) +128054 (6) + 132820

(7)UA475AA11Patient469396381Patient920A2381Patient918A2363Pt. +151748 (8)

+161853 (9)U0056FA461PatientUD173CA11PatientD00911PatientU0137BA582Patient +

151867 above467674371PatientU0317BB294Pt. +160877 (below) +161164 (10) + 166213

(11)467010381PatientU0317BB294Pt. +159916 above + 161164 (above) + 166213

(above)

 

Table III

 

The following information will be provided about the 14 other cases listed in

table II: Sex (M. or F.). Age, State, Interval between vaccination and demise,

Relevant History, Diagnosis. Each patient received DTAP with other vaccines

unless specified.

 

Case 151619: M, 2m, CA, 7 days. Patient had had surgery for pyloric stenosis.

He developed vomiting and diarrhea, became dehydrated and hyperkalemic and went

on to multiple organ failure and cardiac arrest.

Case 152001: F, 2m, ME, 5 days. SIDS.

Case 158477: F, 2m, NM, 1 day. SIDS.

Case 162748: F, 2m, MI, 36 hours. Patient was 32 weeks premature. Pneumonia.

Case 127341: M, 2m. OH, 2 days. Premature (35 weeks), single kidney. SIDS.

(Sleeps with parents)

Case 128054: F, 2m, MS, 4 days. Post vaccine syndrome. Cause of death

consistent with vaccine related death.

Case 132820: M, 2m, IL, 1 day: SIDS (History of shaking? Seizures)

Case 151748: M, 3m, PA, 26 days. SIDS.

Case 161853: M, 2m, MS, 6 days. Premature twin. SIDS.

Case 161164: M, 2m, MN, 4 days. SIDS.

Case 166213: M, 5m, NM. Interval between vaccination and demise not listed.

Patient was 35 weeks premature and had “resolved bronchiolitis’. Cause of death

is listed as Probable Asphyxia.

 

Discussion

 

When DTP was used exclusively, many studies were published regularly to convince

physicians and parents that the vaccine was quite safe. The fact is that the DTP

vaccine was not safe and it had to be replaced by the DTAP vaccine.

 

Now, the CDC and vaccine manufacturers consistently downplay the side effects of

DTAP vaccination. Indeed, though minor reactions following DTAP are fewer than

with DTP, more serious reactions occur in rather disturbing numbers. This is

supported by a report that was issued by a committee of US Scientists and

published in 1987 in the Journal of the American Medical Society (JAMA). In

“Acellular and whole-cell pertussis vaccines in Japan. Report of a visit by US

scientists”, the authors stated:

 

“Since the introduction of acellular pertussis vaccines in Japan late in 1981,

more than 20 million doses have been administered, mostly to children 2 years of

age and older. Clinical studies indicate that mild local and febrile reactions

are less frequent after administration of acellular pertussis vaccines than

after whole-cell vaccines. Serious adverse events with sequelae occurred in

2-year-old children at approximately the same low rate during the period 1975

through August 1981, when whole-cell vaccines were used, and during August 1981

through 1984, when acellular vaccines were used exclusively.” At least one of

the authors of the report is still with the CDC.

 

Clearly multiple reports of serious DTAP-associated reactions have been filed

with VAERS. Again, one must keep in mind that less than 10% of adverse events

after vaccination are ever reported.

 

Two of the 25 infants whose reports were reviewed, a 5-month old male and a

6-month old female received the DTAP vaccine alone, 2 and 3 days before their

demise. The cause of death in both cases was listed as SIDS.

 

Earlier, we only administered DTP and polio vaccines at the same time. Today,

several vaccines are routinely administered together at 2, 4, and 6 months of

age and again when boosters are recommended. A 2-month-old infant receiving

DTAP, HBHEPB, IPV and PNC is actually receiving 7 antigens.

 

The CDC and vaccine lobby have agreed that it is perfectly acceptable to

administer 5 to 7 antigens or attenuated live virus vaccines together, to the

enchantment of HMOs. They have succeeded in convincing themselves, physicians

and many parents that this is actually safe. This investigation does not support

such feeling of comfort.

 

60% of the babies (15 of 25) in the group were two months old (or younger) when

they succumbed shortly after they received the first series of recommended

vaccinations.

 

Only five of the 25 cases were girls. There were 3 cases from Texas, 2 from

Alabama and 2 from Ohio. The remaining 18 cases came from 18 different states.

 

Eighteen (72%) of the 25 deaths occurred in the 48 hours after vaccination. Nine

babies died on the day following vaccination and 4 within hours and less than

one day after they were vaccinated.

 

The cause of death was listed as SIDS in 15 (60%) of the 25 cases in Table II.

SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is by definition the sudden and unexpected

death of an apparently healthy infant, whose death remains unexplained after the

performance of an adequate postmortem investigation including (1) an autopsy,

(2) investigation of the scene and circumstances of the death and (3)

exploration of the medical history of the infant and family.

 

Seven other cases (150474, 150931, 152213, 152502, 153392, 154522, 159916) were

found in full cardio-respiratory arrest and died. In each case, some

environmental factor was mentioned to “explain” the event. Many or all of the

seven deaths could have been labeled as SIDS by other observers raising the

incidence of SIDS following DTAP vaccination in this sample to 88%.

 

It is not known how many infants were exposed to the following risk factors:

Living in trailers, Sleeping with parents, Entanglement in blankets, Cigarette

smoking and Positional asphyxia in early 2000. Neither is it known how many of

them died of SIDS in the 78 hours BEFORE they were scheduled to receive 3 to 7

antigens at the same time.

 

In addition, SIDS was listed as the cause of death in 7 (64%) of the 11 reports

reviewed in Table III.

 

The CDC insists that vaccines do not cause SIDS and that any association between

the two is temporal or casual but not causal. Many believe, as Baraff did 20

years ago, that: “there should be no temporal association, were there no causal

relationship between the two events.”

 

This limited review shows that 9 (36%) of the infants in the main series had

known risk factors when they were vaccinated. Pneumograms, apnea monitors and

medication for apnea were not mentioned in any of the 25 reports. It would be

reasonable to assume, as proposed by Scheibner, that babies who already have A &

Bs (apnea and bradycardia) may be at a higher risk of developing respiratory and

cardiac arrest AFTER multiple vaccinations. Premature infants are more likely to

have abnormal pneumograms and to need monitoring and medication.

 

Vaccine manufacturers were ordered to remove Thimerosal from all pediatric

vaccines in 1999. It is not known how many of the 25 children in this study

actually received vaccines containing the mercury derivative as a preservative.

The latest available VAERS post-DTAP death reports (Fall of 2002) were quickly

reviewed for comparison and appeared casually similar to those of early 2000.

 

It is difficult to draw any conclusions from the fact that that there were more

infant deaths reported than life-threatening events after both DTP and DTAP: 942

deaths vs. 561 life-threatening complications for DTP and 415 deaths vs. 348

life-threatening events after DTAP vaccination. This could mean that the vaccine

reactions are very severe. It could also simply be due to the fact that infants’

deaths, within 30 days of vaccination, including SIDS, are more carefully

reported and get the attention of the local health authorities, while serious

reactions of surviving infants do not.

 

In one case, the complication that culminated in the infant’s demise could have

been caused, not by the DTAP, but by another vaccine.

 

Careful studies that criticize any aspect of the vaccination programs are rarely

published in medical journals. Pro-vaccine papers on the other hand, are often

accepted without difficulty. It is not surprising therefore, that most

physicians are more aware of the vaccine “benefits” than they are of adverse

events

 

..

 

Conclusions

 

VAERS reports provide valuable information.

 

Many serious adverse events including death are occurring shortly after DTAP

vaccination. This review suggests causation and eligibility for compensation.

 

The question of SIDS after vaccination deserves renewed attention. It is

simplistic to attribute these deaths to chance.

 

References

 

http://www.909shot.com/

Vaccination against whooping-cough. Efficacy versus risks.

Stewart GT. Lancet 1977 Jan29;1(8005):234-7

Infection and immunization

Stewart GT. Scott Med J. 1979 Jan;24(1):47-52.

Whooping cough and pertussis vaccine: a comparison of risks and benefits in

Britain during the period 1968-83.

Stewart GT. Dev Biol Stand. 1985;61:395-405.

http://nvic.org/History/1989workshop.htm

http://www.who.int/vaccines/GlobalSummary/Immunization/ScheduleResult.cfm

The true story of pertussis vaccination: a sordid legacy?

Geier D., Geier M. J Hist Med Allied Sci. 2002 Jul;57(3):249-84.

http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/448d6.htm

Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, 5th Edition

Editors: Atkinson W, Humiston S, Wolfe C, Nelson R. (CDC /D HHS)

Physicians Desk Reference 2003, page 812

http://www.hrsa.gov/osp/vicp/table.htm

Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report (MMWR) December 1,

1998/47(47);1019-1022

http://web1.tch.harvard.edu/cfapps/A2ZtopicDisplay.cfm?Topic=Falls%20%2D%20Injur\

y%20Statistics%20and%20Incidence%20Rates

http://www.childwelfare.net/CFR/1999Report/drowning.html

Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report (MMWR) July 19, 2002/51(28);616-618

http://www.vaccinationnews.com/Scandals/July_26_02/Scandal26.htm

MMWR September 22, 2000/49(9):1-26

Acellular and whole-cell pertussis vaccines in Japan. Report of a visit by US

scientists. Noble GR, Bernier RH, Esber EC, Hardegree MC, Hinman AR, Klein D,

Saah AJ. JAMA. 1987 Mar 13;257(10):1351-6.

 

 

 

About Dr. Yazbak

 

November 4, 2003

VACCINATION, RUBELLA AND CONGENITAL RUBELLA SYNDROME

Separating Fact From Fiction

 

November 1, 2003

A DETAILED REPORT ON VACCINES AND AUTISM, INCLUDING THE CURRENT CONTROVERSY

BOILING OVER IN THE UK OVER THE MMR VACCINE

 

October 15, 2003

THE SAGA OF PEDIATRIC HEPATITIS B VACCINATION

When it comes to the Sad Saga of the mandated Pediatric Hepatitis B Vaccination

Program, there are still, twelve years later, more questions than answers.

Probably the most baffling question is: why was a new vaccine recommended for a

vulnerable infant without risk/benefit analysis and in order to prevent a

disease that was not an immediate threat and that had a decreasing incidence?

 

October 10, 2003

SIDS, VACCINES AND VAERS: A FOLLOW-UP

On the basis of his investigation, a physician challenges statements made by the

U.S. Institute of Medicine about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and vaccines

 

September 22, 2003

SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME AND THE VACCINE ADVERSE EVENT REPORTING SYSTEM: A

REVIEW

A Physician investigates sudden and unexpected deaths of apparently healthy

infants and the possible link of some of these deaths to vaccines

 

September 8, 2003

SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME AND VAERS: A REVIEW AND ANALYSIS

A physician investigates reports to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System

and finds that some parents who were accused of causing “Shaken Baby Syndrome”

in their children were probably innocent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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