The Battle Rages On

There are currently 13 different germs covered in our childhood vaccines, but despite these amazing gains against serious diseases, the battle is far from over. With increased global travel, the risk of exposure to both old and new germs increases. As medical advances allow sick and disabled children to live longer, our vulnerable population persists. Even for the healthy and vaccinated, the strong immune response generated in childhood can diminish over time, so that by adolescence or young adulthood, the protection is gone.

This is what happens in the case of pertussis, the only disease in our current vaccines that has been on the rise, mostly because older children and adults are getting and spreading the illness. Unfortunately, none of these germs has yet been wiped off the planet completely. When a society chooses to stop vaccinating, disease quickly returns. This was the case in Japan in the 1970s. In 1974, with over 80 percent of its population protected against pertussis, it was mistakenly believed that pertussis was no longer a threat, and the number of vaccinated children plummeted. By 1976, only 10 percent of the population was being immunized. Soon after, a pertussis epidemic swept though Japan that sickened 13,000 and left 41 dead.

Until these germs are truly extinct, our guard cannot be let down. To maintain the progress made, vaccinations need to continue. New vaccines, once proven safe and effective, should also be accepted by today's parents so that our grandchildren can forget the illnesses that plague us today. Doctors are considering extending some vaccines later into childhood and adolescence to boost the immunity that has waned. Along these lines, here are the latest developments and recommendations coming to our communities: