Mucosal vaccination of the newborn: an unrealized opportunity

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

PDF download Mucosal vaccination of the newborn: an unrealized opportunity (http://www.expert-reviews.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1586/14760584.8.1.1) Expert Review of Vaccines, January 2009, Vol. 8, No. 1, Pages 1-3.

[cartersmom]

Isn't the Rotavirus vax a mucosal vaccination? and flumist?
What is this guy saying exactly that they are trying to get all vaccines to be given this way either oral or nasally? I read the article, but I am not a science/math brain so Im a bit confused.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

Both are.. but this is a bit different. Print it out, and read it again, then lets discuss it, because this article has some important messages in it, for us as parents.

There are some long held assumptions being challenged in here, so lets see how you go.

Read it, and tell me what it says to you, because you don't really need either a science or a maths brain to get the overall message.

[Spy]

Are these guys trying to reinvent breastmilk??? :snort:

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

................. No... :D

[cartersmom]

Both are.. but this is a bit different. Print it out, and read it again, then lets discuss it, because this article has some important messages in it, for us as parents.

There are some long held assumptions being challenged in here, so lets see how you go.

Read it, and tell me what it says to you, because you don't really need either a science or a maths brain to get the overall message.

Ok I've reread it....what I'm understanding is that historically scientists have believed that vaccinating a newborn was iffy because their immune system was not developed, therefore multiple injections of the same vaccine were needed to stimulate an immune response, and that maternal antibodies often would prevent an immune response and the baby would be left with no detectable antibodies after immunization. Now new studies with "potent immune adjuvants" are finding that this is not so, that neonates immune systems are capable of responding to vaccination and maternal antibodies may not be such a big problem after all. So they are trying to find a way to target the mucosal system since mucosal surfaces is where most infectious agents enter the body. So a nasal and/or oral vaccine would be better as it would not interfere as much with maternal antibodies. Also that they would be using different delivery systems such as viruses (don't they do that now with injectables?) I get a bit lost here.
So they are bascially saying that all they would need is a SINGLE mucosal vaccine rather than multiple ones like they have to give now to obtain immunity and that the mucosal system would be better since this is they system or route that infectious diseases enter the body??
I do consider myself to be a fairly intelligent person, but I still think I'd have a better understanding if I had a "scientific mind"!!!

[Sakura]

This line jumped out at me:

"Based on our in utero and neonatal vaccination studies, we propose that a single mucosal vaccination of newborn infants or newborn animals can induce protection and eliminate many of the problems associated with injected vaccines."

First, they admit that the present system doesn't work.

Then, they admit that there are "problems" (note the multiple) with the present system.

So...the way vaccines are administered at the present time is not effective and is not safe. And they know it.

What an admission.

:mad:

[Sakura]

Question: What age do they consider the "neonatal" period in humans?

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

Neonatal is the period just after birth. Keep reading. Try again. You're doing very well, and you will find as you re-read it, you will fill in any gaps.

Try underlining the bits that jump out, and also look up on internet any words that jump out at you that you aren't sure of the meaning.

[Sakura]

Trying to chip away at this as you suggested, MT. It's a bit effortful, just like anything worth it's while, right?

I have so many questions and searching for the answers is only leading me to more questions.

At the same time, I feel like I'm just missing a really critical detail that will put this all in perspective.

[Sakura]

Neonatal is the period just after birth. Keep reading. Try again. You're doing very well, and you will find as you re-read it, you will fill in any gaps.

Try underlining the bits that jump out, and also look up on internet any words that jump out at you that you aren't sure of the meaning.

Thanks for the clarification, I just wanted to know what the official neonatal period is, which I just found, the definition for, which is up to 4 weeks after birth.

Which makes me super pissed that vaccination is promoted and encouraged in pre-term infants.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

But as you know, it's the "best" time to get in, while the mother is still protective and frightened, and open to doing everything possible to protect this wee baby of hers...

if you don't get in early, then parents start to realise that, without doctors and vaccines, their babies don't actually keel over and die that easily... and then they are not so :chair: to messages saturated with, "Your child will die if you don't...." of "you don't love your child if you don't..."

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

Trying to chip away at this as you suggested, MT. It's a bit effortful, just like anything worth it's while, right?

I have so many questions and searching for the answers is only leading me to more questions.

At the same time, I feel like I'm just missing a really critical detail that will put this all in perspective.


It is very effortful, as you put it, but you will find that the more often you do this, the easier it becomes, until most of the stuff without data becomes just like reading the newspaper.

keep going. You'll be surprised just how well you will do... :)

[cartersmom]

It is very effortful, as you put it, but you will find that the more often you do this, the easier it becomes, until most of the stuff without data becomes just like reading the newspaper.

keep going. You'll be surprised just how well you will do... :)

Practice makes perfect!

[MinorityView]

Once it is deciphered--anyone up for writing an insidevaccines piece on this--sounds like a great topic?