More info on bowel virus associated with the MMR vacinnation

[Guest guest]

Saftey fears over MMR have been increased still further by a study

which detected signs of a chronic viral infection in the bowels of children

who became autistic after the jab.

The virus — feared to come from the measles component of theinjection —appears to have sparked an abnormal response of the immune systemsimilar to that in patients with HIV The discovery by researchers at, theRoyal Free Hospital in London comes as uptake of the measles, mumps andrubella jab has fallen to an all-time low of 78 per cent. Parents are notconvinced it is safe despite official assurances that it does not causeautism or bowel disease. The latest findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Immunology,

follow studies carried out by gastroenterologist Dr Wakefield who

raised concerns about MMR in 1998.

The specialist was forced out of his job at the Royal Free in 2001

amid claims that his research had proved too unpopular among the med-cal

community.

In October last year his former colleague Dr Simon Murch insisted thathe had always supported the vaccine. However, he is a co-author with DrWakefield of the latest paper which concludes there is further evidence of anew form of bowel disease in children with regressive autism — losing thepower of speech and becoming autistic. Another common complaint among children alleged to have been harmed by

MMR is a painful inflammatory gut disorder.

Dr Wakefield and Dr Murch examined bowel tissue from 52 childrenshowing signs of autism alter the MMR jab. They found widespreadinflammation throughout the bowel and evidence of an unusual immune systemresponse. The intestinal lining contained large numbers of a particular typeof white blood cell — lymphocytes — which fight viral infection. This studydid not show whether the virus concerned was measles. But other tests by pathologists have found the measles virus In the

bowel tissue and spinal fluid of autistic children alleged to he harmed by

MMR.

Dr Wakefield said: This paper not only confirms the presence of

disease distinct from other inflammatory bowel diseases in these children

but the, findings are also consistent with a viral cause.

‘What we saw was a response not dissimilar to that seen in somepatients with HJV Clearly these kids don’t have Aids but the response fitsthe pathology consistent with chronic viral disease. That is a most valuablefinding.' A Department of Health spokesman said MMR remained the safest way to

vaccinate children against serious childhood diseases.

"This is not a study about MMR and therefore makes no contribution to

the already published literature on the vaccine."

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'The Lights Went Out'

[This is a sidebar report to the above Bowel Virus article in the

Daily Mail. Miles, the parent mentioned below, is a regular

gatherer of UK autism news for the Schafer Autism Report.]

The parents of Miles recall the exact date that their

14-month-old son had the MMR jab because of the devastating effects that

followed. He became drowsy, lost his sense of balance and stopped speaking

after the jab on December 5, 1989.

Within months he also started to suffer from bowel problems.

His father , from West London, said: It was as if the lights

went out when he had the MMR jab. He regressed and was later diagnosed as

suffering autism.

He also had gut trouble which was not immediately obvious to us, buteventually we took him to the Royal Free Hospital.’ was diagnosed assuffering an unusual form of inflammatory bowel disease. Further testscarried out for a compensation claim against vaccine manufacturers — whichis on hold pending an appeal for legal aid — revealed he had the measlesvirus in his blood and gut. Furthermore, the virus strain was identified as identical to that

found in the MMR jab.

We believe my son’s autism is due to MMR and I know several caseswhere children are suffering extreme pain due to gut problems, which theirparents believe are caused by the triple vaccine,’ said Mr Miles. This latest research is very interesting because they have discovered

further immunological evidence that something is going on in the gut of

children with this particular form of autism.

* * *

Intestinal Lymphocyte Populations in Children with Regressive Autism:

Evidence for Extensive Mucosal Immunopathology

http://www.kluweronline.com/issn/0271-9142/current