U.S. Soldier's Death Is Tied To Vaccines

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A59188-2003Nov18?language=printer


U.S. Soldier's Death Is Tied To Vaccines 

By David Brown
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 19, 2003; Page A19 


A 22-year-old female soldier who died last spring after getting
multiple vaccines, including the one against smallpox, succumbed to an
immune system disease apparently triggered by the immunizations.

  
  
That is the conclusion of a panel of experts reviewing the military's
experience with smallpox vaccine, which has been given to about
515,000 troops in the past year. A second panel believes that
vaccination "possibly" caused the young woman's death.

The woman received smallpox, typhoid, anthrax, hepatitis B and
measles-mumps-rubella vaccine on March 2. On April 4, she died of lung
complications caused by an acute attack of the autoimmune disease
lupus.

She had never shown symptoms, but analysis of two blood samples stored
in the military's 30-million-sample repository showed that she had
abnormalities associated with lupus as far back as 1998.

The vaccinations apparently triggered a first "flare" of lupus, which
an Army official, Col. John D. Grabenstein, said has been observed a
few times in civilians. Neither panel cited a specific vaccine as the
cause.

A panel of scientists from the government's Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices and Armed Forces Epidemiology Board said the
evidence "strongly favors" the theory that vaccination led to the
death. A committee convened by the Health Resources and Services
Administration split on the issue, with three members saying it was
"possible" and two that it was "probable."

William Winkenwerder Jr., assistant secretary of defense for health
affairs, said there are no plans to change the vaccination program.

A study published last summer reported 18 nonfatal cases of
myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, among troops getting
smallpox vaccine.



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