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A soldier's smallpox vaccination left his wife and 2-year-old son battling a life-threatening infection, according to a report published in the Chicago Tribune. The toddler developed severe rash over most of his body after his met his father who had received the smallpox vaccination before his overseas posting.
The name of the family was not released following their own request. Doctors reveal that the boy is not suffering from smallpox, but a rare infection called eczema vaccinatum. The condition is related to the vaccinia virus, which is used as a means of bestowing immunity from smallpox. Eczema vaccinatum has not been officially reported since 1990.
The boy and his mother are undergoing treatment at University of Chicago's Comer Children's Hospital.
Smallpox was eradicated ay back in 1980, but the military took up vaccination again in 2002 following bio-terrorism fears. Doctors said the boy in question suffered from eczema, which increased his risk for contacting this rare infection. People with eczema need to be careful when they come into contact with others who have been recently vaccinated, doctors added.
Dr. Madelyn Kahana, the hospital's chief of pediatric intensive care, said that while the risk of this infection spreading among the general population was low, staff treating the mother and the boy was taking all precautions. This included wearing protective clothing as well as face masks and gloves.
Smallpox is a deadly disease that claimed at least 500 million lives in the last century. However the disease was brought under control with the vaccination procedure developed by Edward Jenner. The last known case of smallpox was reported in October 1977.
The vaccine helps by developing immunity against the smallpox virus. The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that while the vaccine develops an effective immunity, there are certain risks associated with its use.
"People most likely to have serious side effects are: people who have had, even once, skin conditions (especially eczema or atopic dermatitis) and people with weakened immune systems, such as those who have received a transplant, are HIV positive, are receiving treatment for cancer, or are currently taking medications (like steroids) that suppress the immune system," the CDC states.
According to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), children younger than 18 years must not be exposed to the smallpox vaccine or any of its components. The above case is one such example where the toddler had a risk factor, namely eczema, but was in close contact with his father who was recently vaccinated.
The boy has already been treated with an experimental drug ST-246 and has also received an anti-vaccinia agent supplied by the CDC. Dr Kahana said the boy would recover, but faced the possibility of losing 20 percent of his outer skin layer.
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