Too trusting: when vaccines fail to protect

While they are trusted, vaccines may not protect against every disease and could still lead to illness or death.

From a very early age, childhood vaccinations are a part of life. Every few months, parents bring their children into clinics and doctors offices around the country for their routine, scheduled vaccines that many  believe will protect them from every illness. Even though the most rigorous vaccination schedule is usually completed before most children enter elementary school, there are some vaccinations that are offered later– and target conditions that are more common later in life.

An example is the meningococcal vaccine–an immunization that many parents have rushed children in for if they thought it would help.  The vaccine, which is usually pressed for high school age youth helps to prevent the spread of meningitis– a potentially deadly form of inflammation that effects the specialized coverings of the brain and spinal column.  Once infected, victims of the disease may die within a few hours or be permanently damaged if they live.  The most deadly form, bacterial is spread through close contact like kissing, sneezing and sharing food or drinks.  Close contacts of those who develop bacterial meningitis must be treated with antibiotics to prevent the spread of the disease.

For this reason, thousands of parents across the country have been more than willing to have their children vaccinated and while all may seem well, not every child will be protected by their vaccines.  The death rate from bacterial meningitis is low and the development of a life threatening case is somewhat rare–often killing only two or three every year.

In the case of one New Jersey athlete, 17 year old Chris Dhume, his life became a statistic in one very quick and tragic turn of events. After waking up unable to move, Chris, a star athlete and healthy young man was rushed to a local hospital where his body succumbed to meningitis in just a few hours.  Most startling to the family was that Chris had been fully vaccinated against meningitis.  Infected with Neisseria meningitidis, the bacteria never had the chance to attack the brain or spinal column but needed only be present in Chris’s bloodstream to kill.

Even though many vaccines have a highly effective rate of success, perhaps the issue at hand is whether or not they develop a false sense of security.  And it isn’t only the meningitis vaccine.  Health officials don’t like to discuss the fact that the Gardasil vaccine, which is touted to prevent the development of cervical cancer related to infection with the sexually transmitted disease HPV fails to protect many girls who think they are invincible after the shot.

Life inside a plastic bubble is never an option–and while often there not be a clear cut reason, or method of prevention for many diseases vaccines may continue to be our best defense.  But is it wise to place all confidence in the needle?