New CDC policy on polio vaccine

[Freistadt, Marion]

See Science 240:1145 (1988). It has long been known that the risk of
Vaccine Associated Paralytic Poliomyelitis is higher with the first dose. 
The oral vaccines are used because of their higher degree of protection,
the generation of IgA response and "herd immunity."  To use the killed
virus for the first dose only makes a lot of sense.  HOwever, the later
doses should still be the oral, attenuated live viruses.  The idea has been
around for a long time, the recommendation came in 1988: evidently it has
taken this long to make a change in policy.







>wrenf at aol.com (Wrenf) wrote:
>>Hi, I am new to this newsgroup and am hoping someone out there can answer
>>my question.  I saw on some TV show ( one of those pseudo news/ gossip
>>shows) that the CDC has a new policy which will be in effect in about a
>>year for  polio immunizations.  The supposedly new policy is for the first
>>2 immunizations to be the dead virus which is injected and the live
>>attenuated oral for the last 2 doses.  This is to prevent any cases of
>>polio transmission to the infant from the live oral vaccine.  I know there
>>are some cases each year of polio from the live vaccine (supposedly the
>>vaccine is  the source of any new cases reported now)  and they are hoping
>>to reduce the risk with the new policy.  
>>
>>I tried to call the CDC but due to the govt shutdown there was no one to
>>answer or confirm any of this.  Are there any CDC folks out there familiar
>>with this?  Has anyone else heard of this?  We are due for our 2nd dose on
>>Monday and I've decided to just get the dead vaccine for my peace of mind
>>but I am still curious. Any info would be appreciated.  
>>Thanks, Judith, Pharm. D.
>
>I think this is an old idea and has already been applied somewhere and
>sometime ago, but I can't remember. Can anyone refresh my memory?
>
>Joao
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>Dr. JOAO V. COSTA                          mailto:jcosta at gulbenkian.pt
>Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia                  phone: +351(1)4435750
>Apartado 14, P-2781 Oeiras Codex, PORTUGAL       fax:   +351(1)4435625
>
>
>
>    
Marion S. Freistadt, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology
Louisiana State University Medical Center
1901 Perdido St.
New Orleans, LA. 70112

504-568-4071
FAX-----2918

mfreis at lsumc.edu