Outbreak of measles in the US almost entirely among unvaccinated

[RockinSAHD]

I was sent this article, a pretty compelling pro-vax argument:

What happens when vaccination rates fall « Science-Based Pharmacy

[Little Chicken]

Based on the article I think the thread title is a bit wrong.

[Roryrory]

LC why do you say that? From my reading of the article the thread title is accurate. This is from the CDC report which is quoted in the article (my boldingfor emphasis):

Of the 118 cases, 47 (40%) resulted in hospitalization. Nine patients had pneumonia, but none had encephalitis and none died. All but one hospitalized patient were unvaccinated. The vaccinated patient reported having received 1 dose of measles-containing vaccine and was hospitalized for observation only. Hospitalization rates were highest among infants and children aged <5 years (52%), but rates also were high among children and adults aged ≥5 years (33%).

Unvaccinated persons accounted for 105 (89%) of the 118 cases. Among the 45 U.S. residents aged 12 months−19 years who acquired measles, 39 (87%) were unvaccinated, including 24 whose parents claimed a religious or personal exemption and eight who missed opportunities for vaccination. Among the 42 U.S. residents aged ≥20 years who acquired measles, 35 (83%) were unvaccinated, including six who declined vaccination because of philosophical objections to vaccination. Of the 33 U.S. residents who were vaccine-eligible and had travelled abroad, 30 were unvaccinated and one had received only 1 of the 2 recommended doses.

So 89% of those who had measles were unvaccinated. So most would agree that 89% is "almost entirely"...

[Phteven]

We have changed the thread title.
It originally read vaccinated not unvaccinated.

[RockinSAHD]

No LC was right, I was saved from further embarrassment by a kind mod.

[Roryrory]

Oh phew! LC I thought you were going to quibble with the other 11%

RSAHD, I bet it was because your spell checker picked up "unvaccinated" as a typo? Maybe MS word and Firefox are pro-vax then?

[Little Chicken]

LOL that's ok I dont think could argue against those numbers.

[Schmickers]

I don't know if I'd say it is entirely compelling... after all, of all of the children who were hospitalised, none of them suffered any of the severe adverse effects historically associated with measles infection, such as pneumonia or encephalitis.

[RockinSAHD]

I don't know if I'd say it is entirely compelling... after all, of all of the children who were hospitalised, none of them suffered any of the severe adverse effects historically associated with measles infection, such as pneumonia or encephalitis.

From the article:

Of the 118 cases, 47 (40%) resulted in hospitalization. Nine patients had pneumonia, but none had encephalitis and none died.

From Wikipedia:

Between 1987 and 2000, the case fatality rate across the United States was three measles-attributable deaths per 1000 cases, or 0.3% (177 deaths / 67,032 cases)

There were only 118 cases, I don't think you can expect to see any deaths fortunately. The compelling part is that only 1 of the cases were vaccinated not the veracity of measles itself.