4 ms·
Wonder how this immune system 'priming' benefit is weighed against risks of, e.g. anti-vaxers contacting infants who are too young to receive immunizations, or
by lamename 8y ago
Wonder how this immune system 'priming' benefit is weighed against risks of, e.g. anti-vaxers contacting infants who are too young to receive immunizations, or the risks that many illnesses pose for high fevers.
Are there trade-offs or is there a clear answer?
- nonbel 8y ago>"anti-vaxers contacting infants who are too young to receive immunizations" If the infant is too young to receive immunization that means they are protected by maternal antibodies, so there's nothing to worry about. The real problem you are thinking of is that the age of many vaccinations need to be moved up since maternal antibodies from vaccinated mothers wane quicker.
- phyzome 8y agoAnd IIRC the maternal antibodies also make it harder for immunizations to "take", since the antibodies latch onto the viral particles from the vaccine. I think I remember something about the MMR vaccine being given at 1 year because it's less effective when given earlier, for that reason.
- nonbel 8y agoYep, that is exactly the reason vaccination is delayed. They originally tried giving them at younger ages but stopped because it wasn't working (I've never seen any report of a health danger).