From: jrfox@no.spam.fastlane.net.no.spam (Jonathan R. Fox)
Newsgroups: misc.kids.health,misc.health.alternative,sci.med
Subject: Re: Greedy GP's vaccine ploy
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2000 19:30:39 GMT

On Sat, 12 Feb 2000 11:04:19 -0800, clw@teleport.com wrote:
>
>In article <88419h$819$1@nnrp1.deja.com>, schlafly@cruzio.com wrote:
>>
>> If I give my child a DTP vaccine, what is the likelihood
>> that the vaccine will prevent some other child from getting
>> pertussis? I might be persuaded to make a sacrifice for the
>> good of humanity, but first I need to know that it really is
>> doing good. In the case of pertussis vaccine, I doubt it.
>
>The object is to prevent your child from getting pertussis.  That will
>only secondarily prevent him/her from spreading the disease.  And,
>pertussis in a teen or adult is a much more debilitating disease  than in
>a 5 year old.

I think he is referring to the fact that teens and adults serve as the
reservoir for pertussis.  Adults can carry pertussis with minimal to
no symptoms.  This is primarily where children get the disease.

--
Jonathan R. Fox, M.D.