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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Emerging</strong> <strong>Risks</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Live</strong> <strong>Virus</strong> & <strong>Virus</strong> <strong>Vectored</strong> <strong>Vaccines</strong>:<br />
Vaccine Strain <strong>Virus</strong> Infection, Shedding & Transmission<br />
Immune Compromised Persons Shed <strong>Virus</strong> Longer<br />
Of special concern is that children and adults with diagnosed and undiagnosed immune<br />
deficiencies are more susceptible to suffering from wild-type viral infections, as well as<br />
vaccine strain live virus infection, and can shed virus for longer periods <strong>of</strong> time than<br />
those without immune system dysfunction. Depending upon the virus and the general<br />
health <strong>of</strong> the individual, virus shedding can last from weeks to months or longer.<br />
123 124<br />
125<br />
Immune Compromised Infants Given <strong>Live</strong> <strong>Virus</strong> <strong>Vaccines</strong> Before Being<br />
Diagnosed with Immune Deficiency<br />
In addition to being exposed to the risks <strong>of</strong> vaccine strain live virus shedding and<br />
transmission by coming in close contact with the recently vaccinated, unfortunately<br />
many immune compromised infants and young children are routinely given live virus<br />
vaccines before they are diagnosed with immunodeficiencies. In 2013, the Infectious<br />
Diseases Society <strong>of</strong> America issued recommendations for vaccinating<br />
immunocompromised children and adults and stated:<br />
“<strong>Vaccines</strong> are <strong>of</strong>ten administered before diagnosis <strong>of</strong> combined immune<br />
deficiency. Inactivated vaccines do not cause significant adverse effects,<br />
whereas live vaccines (e.g., rotavirus) may produce chronic infection in patients<br />
with combined immune deficiency.” 126<br />
<strong>The</strong> scope <strong>of</strong> the potential negative health effects <strong>of</strong> vaccine strain live virus infection,<br />
shedding and transmission on immune compromised individuals – and those they come<br />
in contact with – is unknown.<br />
Smallpox (Variola) and <strong>Live</strong> Attenuated Vaccinia <strong>Virus</strong><br />
U.S. public health <strong>of</strong>ficials stopped recommending routine smallpox vaccinations for<br />
children in 1972. <strong>The</strong> last case <strong>of</strong> smallpox was reported in Somalia in 1977 and in 1980<br />
World Health Organization <strong>of</strong>ficials declared smallpox <strong>of</strong>ficially “eradicated” from the<br />
earth.<br />
127 128<br />
Smallpox or variola is an orthopoxvirus in the Poxviridae family. A human DNA virus<br />
that does not infect animals, variola takes two principal forms: variola major and variola<br />
minor. Variola major was the dominant form in Europe during the Middle Ages and then<br />
in North America until the end <strong>of</strong> the 19 th century, killing 20% or more <strong>of</strong> people infected<br />
and leaving many others with scars. Variola minor was much milder with a one percent<br />
case fatality rate and it was the dominant form in the 20 th century when intensive global<br />
smallpox eradication campaigns were conducted. 129<br />
NVIC Referenced Report – Nov. 2014, Page 16
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