sadly - another: Aliana has SSPE

While social media are a-buzz with stories of a CDC whistleblower - let's remind ourselves why everyone should vaccinate their children (and themselves).

Max, Micha and Natalie have already died. Angelina, who turned 9 years last week, is still fighting. We know their names, because the measles vaccine has significantly reduced the incidence of SSPE, the fatal complication, that shrinks a child's brain, many years after infection.
Now, another girl has been diagnosed - learn her name - celebrate her life - vaccinate your kids, so not one more child has to join the exclusive club:

Aliana was born in early 2010 - a "good measles year" in Germany, with "only" 780 cases. Aliana was one of them - she fell ill as a 6 months old infant, it is not clear who infected her. Then she recovered, at least so it appeared. Aliana grew, she was an open, friendly girl. She quickly found friends, because everyone liked to play with her. In retrospect, she maybe fell more than her peers, but then again, she was still little. But suddenly, Aliana started to forget everything, she couldn't speak as well as she used to. Then, motor problems started, she stumbled, and fell. Unfortunately, the original diagnosis of epilepsy was wrong and 4 weeks ago, Aliana was diagnosed with SSPE. Her grandmother describes the indescribable [my translation from the German]:

I am the granny of a girl who loved life, played games, was friendly to all, and so kind. When I sang songs with her, she immediately knew the lyrics by heart. I could tell you so much more about this little girl, but it breaks my heart how slowly, everything gets lost.

This has to stop! Every case of SSPE, a fate like Aliana's and her family's heartache can be avoided. Check your and your children's vaccination records. Everyone should get/have gotten 2x MMR to protect themselves and babies like Aliana from measles.

Wakefraud One More Time and Anti-Vaxx Myth-Busting Dr. Iannelli

Since Andrew Jeremy Wakefield aka Wakefraud made another warped bid for attention in the form of threatening a maybe-perhaps-in-the-future-if-he-gets-around-to-it lawsuit against Emily Willingham and Forbes Magazine, it's just as good a time as any to give him the attention he so desperately craves.  C0c0rdance released an educational video which contains Wakefraud's raw real-time PCR data and how it was intentionally altered to achieve measles-positive results entitled "Wakefield's Smoking Gun".  C0nc0rdance's evidence and plain-language explanation leaves no doubt of Wakefraud's intentional fixing of the data to provide his own foregone conclusion.

Next, Vincent Iannelli, M.D. posted an excellent "Vaxopedia" entry "Anti-Vaccine Myths and Misinformation" which will be a handy reference for a quick refutation for the annoying anti-vaxxer you may be arguing with as they will undoubtedly invoke several of the canards debunked by Dr. Iannelli.

"I did my research."

Parents often say that when they are ready to delay or skip vaccines.

Because the idea that vaccines are dangerous is easy to disprove, the anti-vaccine movement surrounds that idea with many myths and much misinformation to confuse parents who are trying to "do their research" on vaccines and how best to keep their children safe and healthy.

This guide to the most common anti-vaccine myths and misinformation will help you understand that vaccines are safe, are necessary, and that getting your kids vaccinated and fully protected against each and every vaccine-preventable disease is the right decision to make.

Please read on for an entertaining rebuttal of 40 anti-vaccine tropes.

Wakefraud: A New Internet Meme is Born

Last week, Andrew Jeremy Wakefield did not like a blogpost on Forbes by Emily Willingham and penned a whiny threat of legal action against her.  His threat appeared on the autism crank blog Age of Autism whose readership consists mainly of rabid anti-vaxx parents of autistic children who hate Emily Willingham with a white-hot passion.  It was a most calculated move by Wakefield as Penumbrage opines:

So why is he doing it? My best guess is that he has issued this threat and published it on Age of Autism to rally the troops and revitalize his flagging support. And why is he doing it to Ms Willingham? Perhaps he thinks she is more vulnerable than CNN or Time Magazine. Maybe he hoped that Forbes would take the corporate view and silence her to fend off a potential troublesome lawsuit. Not for the first time he has been proven wrong. Ms Willingham is an eminent scientist, an educator and an accomplished journalist. Forbes recognize her talent and show no signs of surrendering to Wakefield’s bluster.

Today, Harpocrates Speaks published a hilarious post describing the "Wakefraud".

The sun set long ago, and outside, the world sleeps. Only the occasional passing car breaks the tranquility of the night. Inside, a lone figure sits before a laptop. The lamp on the desk sheds a soft, if weak, light, nearly drowned out itself by the cold illumination of the monitor. The figure's fingers tap out a few final strokes, then move to the mouse. She drags the cursor across the screen and clicks "Publish". A sudden flash of lightning and thunder, then the room goes dark.

A low, quiet chuckle filters out of the laptop as the screen fitfully flickers back to life. On the screen, four words shed an ominous, baleful glow:

The Wakefraud had struck.

Read both Penumbrage and Harpocrates Speaks for more excellent commentary about the Wakefraud.  Wakefield wanted some publicity and attention, well he's got it.