Trivia Corner: United States President Affected by
Polio
What U.S. president is known for having had polio?
Find
out»
Feature Article: Fighting Polio in Pakistan
Polio is a vaccine-preventable disease caused by a virus that spreads when food or water is
contaminated with feces. Polio causes a wide range of symptoms, but 90 of 100 people typically
experience no symptoms. Because this group is still contagious, they unknowingly spread the virus.
Mild symptoms typically occur in 6 of 100 people infected with polio virus and are similar to those
of other viral infections (e.g., sore throat, fever and nausea). Severe symptoms are less common,
affecting about 1 of 100 people, and can include muscle aches, spasms and paralysis.
Read
more about the polio vaccine, its inventor, and polio vaccination in Pakistan»
Spotlight: Top 10 Airports Contributing to the Spread of
Infectious Diseases
Have you ever thought about the spread of disease while sitting in an
airport?
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) recently developed a computer
model using real world travel patterns to determine which airports were most likely to contribute
to the spread of infectious diseases.
According to the model, JFK International Airport in New York and Los Angeles International
Airport in California are the top two airports most likely to contribute to the spread of
infectious diseases. Because Honolulu International Airport in Hawaii is a common layover location
for U.S.-Asia flights, it was third on the list.
View MIT’s video to learn more about how travel through airports can contribute to the
spread of infectious diseases»
Did You Know? REAL SIMPLE Magazine Publishes
Article About Vaccines
Did you know that REAL SIMPLE magazine recently published an article
about vaccines? The article, titled
15 Things You Need to Know About Vaccines, was written by Kate Rope and published in the
July 2012 issue. Experts answered a variety of questions regarding vaccines and vaccine safety,
including “Do vaccines cause side effects?”, “What is thimerosal and is it dangerous?”, and “Do I
need to worry about ‘vaccine overload’?”
If you didn’t see the REAL SIMPLE article, check it out now»
Ask the VEC: Chickenpox Vaccine Catch-up
Q. My 3-year-old daughter never received the first dose of the chickenpox vaccine
because the country we lived in when she was an infant did not offer it. Soon we are planning to
move back to that country, is it necessary for her to get the chickenpox vaccine before we go?
A. The current recommendation in the U.S. for children who did not receive their
first dose of chickenpox vaccine by 15 months is to get it as soon as is feasible, and then receive
the second dose at 4-6 years of age. However, because you mention that you plan to leave the U.S.
soon, it is possible for her to get the second dose of the chickenpox vaccine 3 months after
getting the first dose.
If the chickenpox vaccine isn’t used in the country to which you are returning, there is
likely to be a higher rate of disease than you see in the U.S. So, getting your daughter vaccinated
before you move back will help protect her from getting chickenpox.
Read
more about chickenpox and the chickenpox vaccine»
Around the World: Absolute Return for
Kids
Absolute Return for Kids (ARK) is one of the United Kingdom’s (U.K.) fastest growing fundraising
charities. ARK focuses its work in the areas of education, health and child protection for
disadvantaged children all over the world, and has been instrumental in distributing the rotavirus
vaccine to vulnerable populations.
Education
ARK operates public schools in the U.K. and developing world, making sure these children
have access to an education no matter their background or poverty level. To date, ARK’s education
programs have helped 40,000 children in the United States, U.K. and India.
Health
ARK’s health programs have already helped 200,000 children in sub-Saharan Africa by
providing access to HIV/AIDS treatment, improving maternal health and combatting diarrhea through
its efforts to distribute the
rotavirus
vaccine.
Child Protection
ARK partnered with
Hope and Homes for Children in an
attempt to end institutional child care in Romania. They hope their efforts in Romania will serve
as a model for completing this task in other parts of Eastern Europe. Currently, ARK has child
protection programs in Romania and Bulgaria, which have helped more than 9,000 children.
Learn more about Absolute Return for Kids»
