BCG and Rubella Jabs

[lastlid]

Before leaving hospital today with our new baby, the following jabs were given:

1] Rubella for Mrs Lastlid. This was interesting as she has obviously had some innoculations as a child, but the hospital staff said, after analysing her blood, that there was no sign that she was protected against Rubella.

So she was vaccinated against Rubella before she left the hospital.

2] The baby Lastlid was given a BCG jab, basically because her mum is from the Philippines. Normally they wouldnt give a newborn baby a BCG (tuberculois jab) as a matter of routine.

[Terpe]

Good attention to detail there.

Sounds like the hospital provided a good experience for all.

[Doc Alan]

My best wishes to all three of you !

• A rubella-containing vaccine ( usually now MMR ) is recommended in 2 doses ( around 12 months, then after 3 years and up to 6 years ) both in UK and Philippines. Women of child-bearing age who haven’t had the vaccine or don’t have a positive antibody test ( “ seronegative “ ), and who are not pregnant, should be offered MMR. It’s also recommended a few days after delivery for seronegative mums. The aim is to prevent future congenital abnormalities from rubella infection ( especially deafness, congenital heart disease and eye abnormalities ).



• BCG is not now routinely given as part of the childhood vaccination schedule in the UK, unless a baby is thought to be at higher than usual risk of coming into contact with TB ( such as inner city London and other cities ). Similarly vaccination may be recommended for health workers or children who have recently come to the UK from countries with high levels of TB, such as the Philippines. In any case, it only protects against TB in 8 out of 10 cases. Routine vaccination of schoolchildren in the UK was discontinued in 2005.


• Vaccines that are routinely recommended for infants in the UK for free on the NHS are :-


• 2 months:
• 5-in-1 (DTaP/IPV/Hib). This single jab contains vaccines to protect against five separate diseases - diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib, a bacterial infection that can cause severe pneumonia or meningitis in young children).
• Pneumococcal vaccine

• 3 months:
• 5-in-1, second dose (DTaP/IPV/Hib)
• Meningitis C


• 4 months:
• 5-in-1, third dose (DTaP/IPV/Hib)
• Pneumococcal vaccine, second dose
• Meningitis C, second dose


http://www.nhs.uk/Planners/vaccinati...checklist.aspx

• On a temporary basis, pregnant mums are to be offered whooping cough vaccine in the UK to boost their defences and protect their babies ( who are too young – until 2 months old – to make their own antibodies ). (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19729989 )



• There is a standard routine immunization schedule for infants in the Philippines, different to that for the UK, reflecting different risks. This includes DPT ( Diphtheria-Pertussis-Tetanus ), oral polio vaccine, hepatitis B vaccine and measles vaccine - in addition to BCG. However, not all Filipino children have had BCG ( no scar present ).

• Private medical clinics usually offer the full course of immunizations, including the booster doses.



• Hospital out-patient services, clinics, and health centers often only offer basic immunizations recommended for the infancy period ( " Expanded Program of Immunization by the Department of Health " ) :- BCG, three doses of DPT, three doses of oral polio vaccine, anti-measles vaccine, and three doses of hepatitis B vaccine.


http://www.babycenter.com.ph/baby/he...nisationchart/

[lastlid]

Interesting that you used babycentre.com as a link as my wife and I have referred to it quite a lot for info.

[sars_notd_virus]

The last time ive updated my vaccines was a couple of years ago , pneumococcal and flu vaccine before i fly here in the UK....anyway, different strains of virus and bacterias goin on , immunization can only defend the strain but it will not stop you from getting it.

[lastlid]

From the NHS website:

Who should have the BCG vaccination?

There is little evidence that the BCG vaccine is effective in older people. TB vaccinations are not usually offered to people over the age of 16 unless the risk of exposure is great (for example, if they have come from Sub-Saharan Africa).

Babies

BCG vaccination is recommended for all babies who:

-are born in areas where the rates of TB are high

-have one or more parents or grandparents who were born in countries with a high incidence of TB

[Doc Alan]

Members should be assured that vaccines DO protect against a huge number of infectious diseases at all ages, whether at home or travelling. If only there were vaccines available to everyone who needed them, and for all infections ! We’re still waiting for AIDS, malaria, and dengue vaccines, but many other safe and effective vaccines exist.


Active immunity can be acquired by natural disease or vaccines. Vaccines stimulate the immune system and consist of
• Live, attenuated ( weakened ) forms of viruses ( measles, mumps, rubella ) or bacteria ( BCG )
• Inactivated viruses ( ‘flu ) or bacteria
• Weakened toxins produced by the “ bug “ ( tetanus )
• Extracts of the “ bug “ ( pneumococcal ) or from recombinant DNA ( hepatitis B ).



Most bugs are “ antigenically stable “ , for immunisation purposes. ( Antibiotic resistance is another matter ). Influenza viruses A and B are constantly changing, as shown by the “ H “ and “ N “ antigens on their surfaces. That’s why the ‘flu vaccine is needed every year for “ at risk “ people – wherever they live. World Health Organisation ( WHO ) identifies in advance the viruses most likely to cause ‘flu and vaccines are made to “ match “ them. This year the three ‘flu viruses are H1N1 ( “ swine ‘flu “ ), H3N2 and B/Wisconsin/1.



By all means compare my detailed information about BCG on the forum ( http://filipinaroses.com/showthread....long-way-to-go ) with other sites. At the end of the day I’m only giving an informed opinion but I take time and care to make sure the information is accurate to the best of my knowledge ! Note the forum disclaimer " Anything posted in this section is the poster's own opinion and may not be accurate. Please seek professional advice. " Members can decide for themselves whether or not I and my posts are professional.

[gWaPito]

Members should be assured that vaccines DO protect against a huge number of infectious diseases at all ages, whether at home or travelling. If only there were vaccines available to everyone who needed them, and for all infections ! We’re still waiting for AIDS, malaria, and dengue vaccines, but many other safe and effective vaccines exist.


Active immunity can be acquired by natural disease or vaccines. Vaccines stimulate the immune system and consist of
• Live, attenuated ( weakened ) forms of viruses ( measles, mumps, rubella ) or bacteria ( BCG )
• Inactivated viruses ( ‘flu ) or bacteria
• Weakened toxins produced by the “ bug “ ( tetanus )
• Extracts of the “ bug “ ( pneumococcal ) or from recombinant DNA ( hepatitis B ).



Most bugs are “ antigenically stable “ , for immunisation purposes. ( Antibiotic resistance is another matter ). Influenza viruses A and B are constantly changing, as shown by the “ H “ and “ N “ antigens on their surfaces. That’s why the ‘flu vaccine is needed every year for “ at risk “ people – wherever they live. World Health Organisation ( WHO ) identifies in advance the viruses most likely to cause ‘flu and vaccines are made to “ match “ them. This year the three ‘flu viruses are H1N1 ( “ swine ‘flu “ ), H3N2 and B/Wisconsin/1.



By all means compare my detailed information about BCG on the forum ( http://filipinaroses.com/showthread....long-way-to-go ) with other sites. At the end of the day I’m only giving an informed opinion but I take time and care to make sure the information is accurate to the best of my knowledge ! Note the forum disclaimer " Anything posted in this section is the poster's own opinion and may not be accurate. Please seek professional advice. " Members can decide for themselves whether or not I and my posts are professional.

I only spoke to my GP a couple of weeks back on the very subject of TB.

I explained that my wife 2 babies and I are going back to the Philippines very soon and was wondering if it was safe going to an area where someone just recently died of TB.

He said as long as your babies has had the inoculation then really you couldn't have cause to worry..just follow safe hygiene practices like we do here.

I said I wasn't inoculated so was I safe...he said TB is a difficult condition to catch especially over a short period in being in that infected location...adults mainly catch it through kissing etc....