Guest guest Posted August 8, 2008 Report Share Posted August 8, 2008 There is something now called mycelized Vitamin A which can deliver larger numbers of units in a smaller amount of fluid Vitamin A & Measles Its amazing how they do it in the 3rd world, but never did it in the US and why don't they give it in the US/UK/Canada/Europe/Australia/NZ with MMR - could make a huge difference............but then they'd have to admit MMR causes problems. Also should be given routinely for other issues and deficiency. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_uids=2\ 194128 & dopt=Abstract A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Vitamin A in Children with Severe Measles N Engl J Med. 1990 Dec 20;323(25):1774-5. A randomized, controlled trial of vitamin A in children with severe measles. Hussey GD, Klein M. Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa. BACKGROUND. Measles kills about 2 million children annually, and there is no specific therapy for the disease. It has been suggested that vitamin A may be of benefit in the treatment of measles. METHODS. We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial involving 189 children who were hospitalized at a regional center in South Africa because of measles complicated by pneumonia, diarrhea, or croup. The children (median age, 10 months) were assigned to receive either vitamin A (total dose, 400,000 IU of retinyl palmitate, given orally; n = 92) or placebo (n = 97), beginning within five days of the onset of the rash. At base line, the characteristics of the two groups were similar. RESULTS. Although clinically apparent vitamin A deficiency is rare in this population, the children's serum retinol levels were markedly depressed (mean [+/- SEM], 0.405 +/- 0.021 mumols per liter [11.6 +/- 0.6 micrograms per deciliter]), and 92 percent of them had hyporetinemia (serum retinol level less than 0.7 mumols per liter [20 micrograms per deciliter]). Serum concentrations of retinol-binding protein (mean, 30.1 +/- 2.0 mg per liter) and albumin (mean, 33.4 +/- 0.5 g per liter) were also low. As compared with the placebo group, the children who received vitamin A recovered more rapidly from pneumonia (mean, 6.3 vs. 12.4 days, respectively; P less than 0.001) and diarrhea (mean, 5.6 vs. 8.5 days; P less than 0.001), had less croup (13 vs. 27 cases; P = 0.03), and spent fewer days in the hospital (mean, 10.6 vs. 14.8 days; P = 0.01). Of the 12 children who died, 10 were among those given placebo (P = 0.05). For the group treated with vitamin A, the risk of death or a major complication during the hospital stay was half that of the control group (relative risk, 0.51; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.35 to 0.74). CONCLUSIONS. Treatment with vitamin A reduces morbidity and mortality in measles, and all children with severe measles should be given vitamin A supplements, whether or not they are thought to have a nutritional deficiency. PMID: 2194128 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] ********** http://www.whale.to/vaccine/citations4.html Vitamin A & child mortality citations http://66.70.140.217/vaccines/autism35.html New Study Vitamin A & Autism: " Toxin in DPT Vaccine [may] Cause Autism " When the live viral measles vaccine is given, it depletes the children of their existing supply of Vitamin A (13), which negatively impacts the retinoid receptors " http://www.danasview.net/vitamina.htm High Dose Vitamin A Protocol [for measles virus] [The first portion of this page was written by Dr. Jaquelyn McCandless - a physician working extensively with autism - author of the excellent book Children With Starving Brains - available from my webpage http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/bookstor.htm#vaccine ] http://www.vaccinationnews.com/Literature_Searches/VitA & Measles.htm Literature Search Vitamin A and Measles Scroll down a little way for beginning tons more online ********* http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_uids=1\ 625097 & dopt=Abstract Arrieta AC, Zaleska M, Stutman HR, Marks MI. Vitamin A levels in children with measles in Long Beach, California. J Pediatr 1992;121:75-78. Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Orange County, Orange, California 92668. Studies from Africa suggest that vitamin A supplementation may reduce morbidity and mortality rates associated with measles among poorly nourished children. We studied 20 children with measles in Long Beach, Calif., and found that 50% (95% confidence interval; 28% to 72%) were vitamin A deficient. This frequency among presumably well nourished American children supports evaluation of vitamin A status as a part of acute management of measles in the United States. PMID: 1625097 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] ******** http://www4.dr-rath-foundation.org/NHC/measles/study/study01.htm Measles Vitamin A for preventing secondary infections in children with measles--a systematic review. D'Souza RM; D'Souza R J Trop Pediatr 2002 Apr;48(2):72-7 The objective of the present study was to determine whether vitamin A prevents pneumonia, diarrhoea and other infections in children with measles. A meta-analysis was carried out of randomized controlled trials identified through a systematic search of the medical literature for studies that used vitamin A to treat measles. A total of 492 children, aged from 6 months to 13 years, were supplemented with vitamin A, and 536 children were given placebo in six trials, five of which were conducted in hospitals and one in a community setting. The main outcome measures were: incidence of pneumonia, diarrhoea, croup, and otitis media; and duration of pneumonia, diarrhoea, fever and hospitalization. There was no significant reduction in the incidence of pneumonia or diarrhoea but there was a 47 per cent reduction in the incidence of croup (RR = 0.53; 95 per cent CI = 0.29-0.89) in children who were treated with 200 000 IU of vitamin A on 2 consecutive days. Only one study reported a 74 per cent reduction in the incidence of otitis media (RR = 0.26 95 per cent CI = 0.05-0.92). There was a statistically significant decrease in the duration of diarrhoea, pneumonia, hospital stay and fever in individual studies. It was concluded that vitamin A does have a beneficial effect on morbidity associated with measles and should be used as a treatment for hospitalized measles cases. ************ http://www4.dr-rath-foundation.org/NHC/measles/study/study16.htm Vitamin A levels and severity of measles. American journal of diseases of children / AMA; VOL: 146 (2); p. 182-6 Frieden TR; Sowell AL; Henning KJ; Huff DL; Gunn RA Recent studies show that vitamin A levels decrease during measles and that vitamin A therapy can improve measles outcome in children in the developing world. Vitamin A levels of children with measles have not been studied in developed countries. We therefore measured vitamin A levels in 89 children with measles younger than 2 years and in a reference group in New York City, NY. Vitamin A levels in children with measles ranged from 0.42 to 3.0 mumol/L; 20 (22%) were low. Children with low levels were more likely to have fever at a temperature of 40 degrees C or higher (68% vs 44%), to have fever for 7 days or more (54% vs 23%), and to be hospitalized (55% vs 30%). Children with low vitamin A levels had lower measles-specific antibody levels. No child in the reference group had a low vitamin A level. Our data show that many children younger than 2 years in New York City have low vitamin A levels when ill with measles, and that such children seem to have lower measles-specific antibody levels and increased morbidity. Clinicians may wish to consider vitamin A therapy for children younger than 2 years with severe measles. Additional studies of vitamin A in measles and other infectious diseases, and in vaccine efficacy trials, should be done. *********** http://sprojects.mmi.mcgill.ca/tropmed/disease/measles/treatment.htm How is measles treated? Vitamin A administered to children acutely ill with measles has been shown to reduce mortality. Results from a trial in South Africa showed children treated with vitamin A had a reduced risk of dying, recovered more quickly from pneumonia and diarrhoea and had less croup. In addition, symptomatic treatment for cases requires antibiotics to combat bacterial complications, and oral rehydratation salts for dehydration following diarrhoea. Case-fatality rates can be lowered if cases reach health care facilities early where appropriate care is offered. For uncomplicated cases, supportive fluids, antipyretics and nutritional therapy may be required. Many children need increased food intake for four to eight weeks to recover their pre-measles nutritional status Source : WHO's page about Measles ********* http://www.who.int/nut/vad.htm Micronutrient deficiencies Combating vitamin A deficiency A few salient facts • Between 100 and 140 million children are vitamin A deficient. (I would suggest that some of this is true in US, UK, Australia, Canada, Europe and other non-3rd world countries) • An estimated 250 000 to 500 000 vitamin A-deficient children become blind every year, half of them dying within 12 months of losing their sight. • Nearly 600 000 women die from childbirth-related causes each year, the vast majority of them from complications which could be reduced through better nutrition, including provision of vitamin A. The challenge Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children and raises the risk of disease and death from severe infections. In pregnant women VAD causes night blindness and may increase the risk of maternal mortality. Vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in 118 countries, especially in Africa and South-East Asia, once again hitting hardest young children and pregnant women in low-income countries. Crucial for maternal and child survival, supplying adequate vitamin A in high-risk areas can signifcantly reduce mortality. Conversely, its absence causes a needlessly high risk of disease and death. For children, lack of vitamin A causes severe visual impairment and blindness, and significantly increases the risk of severe illness, and even death, from such common childhood infections as diarrhoeal disease and measles. For pregnant women in high-risk areas, vitamin A deficiency occurs especially during the last trimester when demand by both the unborn child and the mother is highest. The mother’s deficiency is demonstrated by the high prevalence of night blindness during this period. VAD may also be associated with elevated mother-to-child HIV transmission. The response: planting the seeds, cultivating the garden WHO’s goal is the worldwide elimination of Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) and its tragic consequences, including blindness, disease and premature death. To successfully combat VAD, short-term interventions and proper feeding in infancy must be backed up by long-term sustainable solutions. The arsenal of nutritional “well-being weapons” includes a combination of breastfeeding and vitamin A supplementation, coupled with enduring solutions, such as the promotion of vitamin A-rich diets and food fortification. © WHO/NHD The impact of this single supplementation on childhood mortality is as great or greater than that of any one vaccine and it costs only a couple of cents a dose. Planting the seeds. The basis for lifelong health begins in childhood. Vitamin A is a crucial component: Breastfeeding. Breast milk is a natural source of vitamin A. Promoting breastfeeding is the best way to protect babies from VAD. Vitamin A supplementation. For deficient children, the periodic supply of high-dose vitamin A in swift, simple, low-cost, high-benefit interventions has also produced remarkable results, reducing mortality by 23% overall and by up to 50% for acute measles sufferers. “Planting these seeds” between 6 months and 6 years of age can reduce overall child mortality by a quarter in areas with significant VAD. However, because breastfeeding is time-limited and the effects of vitamin A supplementation capsules last only 4-6 months, neither are long-term solutions. Rather, they should be seen as initial steps towards better overall nutrition. Cultivating the garden. Both literally and figuratively, the next phase is necessary for long-term results: Food fortification. Taking over where supplementation leaves off, food fortification (e.g. sugar in Guatemala) maintains vitamin A status, especially for high-risk groups and needy families. Home gardens. For vulnerable rural families (e.g. in Africa and South-East Asia), growing fruits and vegetables in home gardens complements dietary diversification and fortification and contributes to better lifelong health. ******** http://www.who.int/vaccines-diseases/en/vitamina/PDF/08_JAMA_META.PDF this one takes a long time to load but is very interesting • Vitamin A Supplementation and Child Mortality: A Meta-Analysis. W Fawzi, T Chalmers, G Herrerra, F Mosteller. IAMA, 1993 http://www.who.int/vaccines-diseases/en/vitamina/PDF/08_JAMA_META.PDF. ********** " It is of interest to note that the 50% reduction in measles mortality is the same if vitamin A supplementation is given preventively (i.e. children's vitamin A levels are raised before they have measles) or as a treatment for measles case management. Given that many children with measles are never seen at health facilities the preventive strategy of supplementation can have the biggest health impact. For maximum health impact, programme managers should aim to reach at least 80% of children 6-59 months of age. " http://www.who.int/vaccines-diseases/en/vitamina/science/sci02.shtml Vitamin A Globally, 3 million children suffer clinical VAD (exhibiting the signs and symptoms of eye damage and xerophthalmia). However, the full magnitude of VAD often remains hidden: an estimated 140-250 million children under five years of age are at risk of sub-clinical VAD, mainly in Asia and Africa. Though showing none of the ocular signs or symptoms these children suffer a dramatically increased risk of death and illness, particuarly from measles and diarrhoea, as a consequence of VAD. Long known to be a principle cause of childhood blindness (250 000-500 000 children lose their sight each year), VAD is now recognized as a major contributing factor in an estimated 1-3 million child deaths each year. Benefits of Vitamin A Supplementation to Child Health Vitamin A is essential for the functioning of the immune system and the healthy growth and development of children. The simple provision of high-dose vitamin A supplements every 4-6 months not only protects against blindness but has been repeatedly shown to have a dramatic and multiple impact on the health of young children (6-59 months): • Overall, all-cause mortality is reduced by 23% • Measles mortality is reduced by 50% • Diarrhoeal mortality is reduced by 33% • 85% coverage can result in a 90% reduction in the prevalence of severe xerophthalmia Note: coverage below 25% is unlikely to have an impact on xerophthalmia. It is of interest to note that the 50% reduction in measles mortality is the same if vitamin A supplementation is given preventively (i.e. children's vitamin A levels are raised before they have measles) or as a treatment for measles case management. Given that many children with measles are never seen at health facilities the preventive strategy of supplementation can have the biggest health impact. For maximum health impact, programme managers should aim to reach at least 80% of children 6-59 months of age. Vitamin A supplementation has been shown to have a positive impact on child mortality, particularly with measles and diarrhoea: Measles/Vitamin A studies have shown that supplementation: • Enhances immune response • Reduces the severity of measles • Decreases the incidence and/or severity of major complications (diarrhoea, pneumonia, croup or otitis media) • Results in fewer days inhospital • Leads to faster recovery and fewer post-measles complications Diarrhoea/Vitamin A studies have shown that supplementation: • Reduces the frequency of moderate and severe diarrhoea • Results in fewer signs and symptoms of dehydration • Lowers clinic attendance and the frequency of diarrhoea-related hospital admissions Recent findings: Vitamin A and Malaria: A recent study in Papua New Guinea found that when young children were given vitamin A supplements three times a year they had 30% fewer malaria attacks and the number of malaria parasites in their blood dropped by 36%. Vitamin A and HIV/AIDS: Trials are currently on-going to determine if vitamin A supplementation can reduce the mother-to-child transmission of HIV during lactation. Reference Documents: (see website for the links to these articles) Click to see or download key reference documents • Vitamin A Supplementation and Child Mortality in Developing Countries. G Beaton, R Martorell, K Aronson, B Edmonston, G McCabe, C Ross, and B Harvey. Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 1994. • Vitamin A Supplementation in Infectious Diseases: A Meta-Analysis. P Glasziou, D Mackerras. BMI, 1993. • Vitamin A Supplementation and Child Mortality: A Meta-Analysis. W Fawzi, T Chalmers, G Herrerra, F Mosteller. IAMA, 1993 http://www.who.int/vaccines-diseases/en/vitamina/PDF/08_JAMA_META.PDF. • Vitamin A Deficiency and Attributable Mortality Among Under-5-Year-Olds. J Humphrey, K.P.West Jr., A Summer. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 1992. • IVACG Policy Statement on Vitamin A Diarrhoea and Measles, 1998. http://www.who.int/vaccines-diseases/en/vitamina/PDF/10_IVACG_Measles.PDF • Vitamin A and Public Health: Challenges for the Next Decade. D Ross. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 1998. • Effect of Vitamin A Supplementation on Morbidity Due to Plasmodium Flaciporum, A Shankar, et al, Lancet, 350: 203-09. 1999. ****** http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic2381.htm -------------------------------------------------------- Sheri Nakken, former R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK Vaccines - http://www.wellwithin1.com/vaccine.htm Vaccine Dangers & Homeopathy Online/email courses - next classes Sept 08 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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