Spain Has First Case Of Diphtheria In 28 Years Thanks To Anti-Vaxxers

[Crabtownboy]

The little boy is paying a terrible price for his parent's neglect. Not only that, but their negligence has placed other children and adults in potential danger.

A six-year-old boy who had not been vaccinated is Spain’s first case of diphtheria in 28 years. The young boy, from the Catalan city of Olot, is reportedly very ill and is being treated with antitoxin. The parents, who had chosen not to vaccinate their child, are “devastated” and have now had their younger daughter immunized as a result.

Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that spreads through coughing or sneezing, according to the World Health Organization. Once infected, sufferers can experience a sore throat, fever and swollen glands in the neck. Diphtheria can lead to serious complications even with treatment, with 10% of cases resulting in death. Spain’s Health Ministry had to scramble to find the drug to treat the child as there had not been a case of diphtheria in Spain for almost 28 years due to the country’s high vaccination coverage (over 95%). The antitoxin was eventually delivered from Moscow to Barcelona by the Russian ambassador.

The child remains in critical condition in Vall d’Hebron hospital’s intensive care unit, but is responding to treatment. Health officials have launched an investigation to find the original carrier, which they admit could be difficult if the carrier isn’t showing any symptoms. All those in contact with the child are under surveillance, and his classmates have been checked to see if they’ve been vaccinated. As a cautionary procedure, they have also given the children preventive medicine.

http://www.iflscience.com/health-an...case-diphtheria-28-years-due-lack-vaccination

 

[Don]

CTB - help me out. I've now looked through a handful of articles, but haven't found where/how this boy was exposed to a disease that was eradicated in Spain nearly 30 years ago.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

The fact that a kid is sick is secondary.

 

[Don]

The fact that a kid is sick is secondary.

I'd like to know how he contracted the disease, and see about preventing it at the source.

 

[targus]

The fact that a kid is sick is secondary.

To CBT anyway.

 

[Crabtownboy]

CTB - help me out. I've now looked through a handful of articles, but haven't found where/how this boy was exposed to a disease that was eradicated in Spain nearly 30 years ago.

Don, I do not believe they know yet where the child contacted the disease. They may never know. My guess is he contacted it from an asymptomatic carrier. The following they do know:

An investigation is underway to find the original carrier of the bacterium that latched on to the child’s body, but Mateu warned that it would “be difficult to find him, especially if he is asymptomatic.”

http://elpais.com/elpais/2015/06/05/inenglish/1433512717_575817.html

Despite the advances made by the regional health department, the authorities in Catalonia still do not know where the outbreak originated. As such, Ruiz has recommended that all associations that will be organizing summer camps in Garrotxa, where the victim is from, require all parents to present their children’s vaccination cards.

http://elpais.com/elpais/2015/06/08/inenglish/1433760659_896311.html

 

[Bro. Curtis]

To CBT anyway.

Of course I didn't think I had to say that.

I suppose there is a population of folks that won't immunize their children against anything.

But Don is right. How did this happen ? Where was it caught ?

 

[Crabtownboy]

Very somber news.

The child who has become the first to contract diphtheria in Spain for 28 years has developed heart and lung problems as well as kidney failure and is being kept alive connected to three different machines.

http://www.thelocal.es/20150609/update-diphtheria-boy-being-kept-alive-by-machines

 

[Don]

And 8 other (vaccinated) kids that he came in contact with have tested positive for the bacteria, although not showing signs of being sick, and are being isolated and treated with antibiotics.

Question still stands: how did he contract a disease that was eradicated 29 years ago?

 

[Crabtownboy]

And 8 other (vaccinated) kids that he came in contact with have tested positive for the bacteria, although not showing signs of being sick, and are being isolated and treated with antibiotics.

Question still stands: how did he contract a disease that was eradicated 29 years ago?

It had not been eradicated. The bacteria is still alive and well and always will be. Because of vaccinations the illness was held in very much check but not eradicated.

Diphtheria once was a major cause of illness and death among children. The U.S. recorded 206,000 cases of diphtheria in 1921, resulting in 15,520 deaths. Starting in the 1920s, diphtheria rates dropped quickly in the U.S. and other countries that began widely vaccinating. Between 2004 and 2008, no cases of diphtheria were recorded in the U.S. However, the disease continues to play a role globally. In 2011, 4,887 cases of diphtheria were reported worldwide to the World Health Organization (WHO), but many more cases likely go unreported.

The case-fatality rate for diphtheria has changed very little during the last 50 years. The overall case-fatality rate for diphtheria is 5%–10%, with higher death rates (up to 20%) among persons younger than 5 and older than 40 years of age. Before there was treatment for diphtheria, the disease was fatal in up to half of cases.

http://www.cdc.gov/diphtheria/clinicians.html

 

[Jedi Knight]

The little boy is paying a terrible price for his parent's neglect. Not only that, but their negligence has placed other children and adults in potential danger.

Yet MORE are MURDERED from abortion that YOUR party of death support! YOUR ARGUMENT IS NOT VALID!

 

[Don]

It had not been eradicated. The bacteria is still alive and well and always will be. Because of vaccinations the illness was held in very much check but not eradicated.

Then you need to re-read the articles you posted links to. THEY used the word "eradicated," which is why I asked the question.

Any word on how the boy became infected?

 

[Don]

And, as usual: crickets. Disappointing.

 

[Crabtownboy]

Then you need to re-read the articles you posted links to. THEY used the word "eradicated," which is why I asked the question.

They need better editors. Have you noticed how the English language has degraded in newspapers and news magazines the last fifteen years? Cost cutting, including cutting editors has resulted in really bad grammar and poor choices of words in far too many articles.

Any word on how the boy became infected?

I do not believe they know. My guess is from an asymptomatic carrier. It is possible he came in contact with someone from another country where diphtheria is still a problem. With so many people traveling these days that is possible.

The main point is if he had been vaccinated he would not have become sick with this terrible disease.

 

[annsni]

Then you need to re-read the articles you posted links to. THEY used the word "eradicated," which is why I asked the question.

Any word on how the boy became infected?

Eradicated means that there are no cases of the illness that have been a result of infection within their own country. However, with immigration happening, the disease can still enter the country. It was the same with measles in the US which was eradicated at one time but is now back in the country.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

That's what I thought. Immigration practices should be looked at.

 

[Don]

Eradicated means that there are no cases of the illness that have been a result of infection within their own country. However, with immigration happening, the disease can still enter the country. It was the same with measles in the US which was eradicated at one time but is now back in the country.

Oh, I know. Mainly I'm just commenting about CTB's "anti-vaxxer" implications. Even now, a week after the case first came to light, no one's discussing how the boy became infected, and trying to stop the disease at its source. It's all about mandatory/compulsory vaccinations.

 

[Revmitchell]

They need better editors. Have you noticed how the English language has degraded in newspapers and news magazines the last fifteen years? Cost cutting, including cutting editors has resulted in really bad grammar and poor choices of words in far too many articles.

Hey everybody its now the editors fault and they are wrong because their view is different from crabby's. :laugh:

Talk about arrogance.

 

[Crabtownboy]

Hey everybody its now the editors fault and they are wrong because their view is different from crabby's. :laugh:

Another stupid answer Rev.

We are talking about the meaning of words not being politically right or wrong. If you have not noticed the degradation of the English language in newspapers and news magazines and news web sites in the last 15 years it does not speak well of you knowledge of English grammar and sentence structure.

I have found nothing new on the sick child. I hope you are praying for him and his family.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Another stupid answer Rev.

We are talking about the meaning of words not being politically right or wrong. If you have not noticed the degradation of the English language in newspapers and news magazines and news web sites in the last 15 years it does not speak well of you knowledge of English grammar and sentence structure.

I have found nothing new on the sick child. I hope you are praying for him and his family.

"you knowledge of English grammar" is sadly lacking, Rev. :laugh:

"I hope you are praying" because it absolves him of any responsibility to pray for the child.