The Scar On The Arm Doing Double Duty

[billroper]

Some researchers have found indications that being vaccinated against smallpox makes you less likely to contract HIV. Which isn't a license for doing something stupid, but it's nice to know...

Comments

[salexa.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, that study appears to have taken place with recently vaccinated individuals. Considering how long ago we got vaccinated, it is considered highly unlikely the vaccine would even still protect against smallpox these days as there has been nothing to remind the body what it is fighting against.

[kizoku42.livejournal.com]

Depends on who is considering it. Other experts believe protection declines but not to zero. There's also evidence that being exposed to almost anything makes you more resistant to other diseases. Sort of like building up the muscles on the immune systems.

[kyril.livejournal.com]

Funny you should mention "scar on the arm", I heard recently that a scratch-delivered immunization (of somethingorother) would be as effective as an injected one even delivering 1/100th as much vaccine. As if the surface of the body were actually set up to catch and deal with that stuff better than deep tissue.

Makes sense...we'll see if it bears out...not that it will do much other than reduce the needed quantities of vaccines, unless the scratch method gives stronger protection.

[decadentdave.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, inteesting to contemplate. As I had two smallpox injections (long story, dam near killed me when I was young) perhaps I am doubly protected. Then again... double nothing is still nothing. Ah the ambiguity of scientific studies. :)

[robin-june.livejournal.com]

Cool! I hope they get to design, fund and run a two-pronged clinical study now:

1: perform thatin vitro HIV challenge of WBCs twice on each member of a pool of people: once from a blood draw before their first smallpox vaccination, and once from a blood draw taken after vaccination.

2. see what the challenge results are for the older cohort who got that vaccine as a child.