In general the consensus answer appears to be no. With infections such as polio, chickenpox, diphtheria, etc the
party line is that in cases of eg virus like polio one MAY be rechallenged later in life and get sub-clinical infection.
Case in point is that many viral infections are subclinical (i.e., don't show symptoms but antibody response is detectable) occurred in th polio epidemic years. Overwhelming majority of people got polio as a "viral" infection, some sort of cold symptoms or another, only the minority manifesting the full blown disease. If you get exposed to chickenpox eg as an adult you probably manifest a subclinical response to the challenge OR get herpes zoster, ie "shingles". Adults who are virginal to chickenpox are potentially in serious trouble, 15% getting viral pneumonia, 15% of those! dying. So very good idea to have had chickenpox as a child when we are our age ( you can be 20 years younger than I Frank!)
Problem with tetanus is different. We used to think immunity lasted up to 20 years, but now 10 years is the accepted booster interval last time I checked for adults. Not really my specialty so speaking from standard medical knowledge. Smallpox is a different kettle of worms. Ten years max, then no immunity. There will be those who argue that in response to an unknown risk the question can be posed as to why expose the American public to a 1/1000 serious complication risk. My friend in high places is from his office and his cohorts negotiating with some sort of legal immunity from the lawyers against that litigious 1/1000 who suffers a bad outcome
from vaccination. Considering mortality rate in smallpox is 30+% regardless of treatment I for one will take my chances with the 1/1000...so IMNSHO so should everybody else, but their choices. Imagine 30% of population dead form a disease rampant...maybe it would not take Iso's nukes to motivate us to take on Islam. Maybe it will take smallpox. Either way I want our way to survive. I wouldl not live under a Muslim government and no one else here on this thread would either. What a way to spend a Sunday evening, pondering such issues. The world has changed since September 11th and I agree we should live and cherish the moment, enjoy the game, keeping an eye on readiness for the war.
Good evenin' to ya
jb
Addendum: just for more info, some diseases like cholera are VERY difficult to muster immunity against, but many areas of travel require vaccination against cholera despite its limitations. Same for typhoid in some folks. FWIW I will never! get another typhoid
shot because I got such a response as to make the disease seem equivalent. For the most common infectious
disease killer in the world, malaria, there is still no widely available vaccination although I understand several
research labs believe they are close. |
