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Leukocyte Activation and COVID-19 Vaccine Reactions 

Leukocyte Activation and COVID-19 Vaccine Reactions 

Luckily severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) to COVID-19 vaccines have been rare, averaging about 8 events per million vaccines.  However, since the Corona virus continues to circulate there will be an ongoing need for vaccination.  Based on current research it seems that most of these adverse events are reactions to polyethylene glycol (PEG).  However, attempts using traditional allergy testing techniques which look for IgE mediated sensitivity have led to poor discriminatory value in people who have had allergic reactions and poor predictive value when used to try and prophylactically identify individuals at high risk for allergic reactions.  This frustration has led to research to identify a more reliable test.  Georgetown University has used a research test called leukocyte activation with surprisingly good results.  The test is done by adding PEG to a sample of the patients’ blood and then analyzing it to see if the leukocytes (white blood cells) become activated.   

So far this is just a research tool but it could lead to a readily available testing mechanism, much as the home Covid test swab has become.   

Peanut allergy protection just got easier: peanut vaccine in a patch

Peanut allergy protection just got easier: peanut vaccine in a patch

A peanut patch vaccine is the newest option being studied for children with severe allergy to

peanuts.

The two types of “vaccine” that have received the greatest study are oral immunotherapy (OIT), and

sublingual immune therapy (SLIT). Both approaches are flawed and thus have not been approved by the

FDA.

Oral therapy provides the best results in terms of vaccine protection against peanut exposure, but it

has an intolerably high frequency of side effects. Sublingual therapy is less prone to side effects, but,

unfortunately, does not provide very good vaccine protection.

The new approach: epicutaneous immunotherapy (EPIT) seems to be the answer. It provides an

excellent level of protection with few side effects.

The peanut extract is administered by a patch worn on the skin. The dosage is gradually increased by

increasing the length of time the patch is in place.

More autism research continues to show no connection to childhood immunizations

More autism research continues to show no connection to childhood immunizations

The medical journal Pediatrics just published research done by the Institute of Medicine to see if any relationship between vaccination and autism could be found.

The researchers at the Centers for Disease Control studied more than 1,000 children and matched controls.  They found no evidence for increased risk for autism due to the preservative thimerosal used in some vaccines, or to vaccines themselves.

Special attention was paid to the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and, again, no association with autism was found.  In the past two decades the number of children diagnosed with autism has increased.  Also over that time period the number of standard childhood vaccinations has increased.  Hence, the close scrutiny.

Yet, the study adds to a growing body of evidence demonstrating no association between immunizations and autism.