Soldier Infects Toddler Son With Life-Threatening Illness

The smallpox vaccination given to soldiers who are deployed in Iraq, has left one soldier's 2-year-old little boy and the boy's mother in the hospital with a very scarce but critical infection.

The soldier apparently had some time with his family and it was during this time that his son and wife must have touched the vaccination site.

The Chicago Tribune had reported Saturday that the two patients were being treated at the University of Chicago's Comer Children's Hospital.

According to Dr. Madelyn Kahana, hospital's chief of pediatric intensive care, the boy and his mother are confined to a room that has negative air pressure and all staff members are required to wear face masks and gloves when dealing with the two patients.

Earlier in the month the 2-year-old had acquired a rash over 80 percent of his body. The child had apparently had a condition known as eczema. It was this condition that allowed for the vaccinia virus to enter his body after coming into contact with his recently vaccinated father.

Doctors are laying emphasis on the fact that the toddler is not suffering from smallpox. According to doctors the boy is suffering from the vaccina virus. This virus is what conveys the immunity to the smallpox disease. The boy's condition is known as eczema vaccinatum. There has not been another reported since the military has previously ended its smallpox vaccination program back in the 1990s.

Treatment for the boy consists of an antiviral drug, an experimental drug ST-246 and an anti-vaccinia agent. The ST-246 drug is very experimental since it was not tested as a therapy in humans.

Despite the improvements that young toddler has been making, he will still more than likely lose 20 percent of his outer skin layer.

Because of the fears of bioterrorism, the United States military in 2002 began to administer the smallpox vaccinations again on U.S soldiers.

According to the article " Small Pox: What the Dermatologist Should Know," eczema vaccinatum has occurred in about one case per 26,000 primary vaccinations. Also the risk of death varied from 1% to 6%.

According to CDC, a person who has close contact with a vaccinee can have the same adverse effect of the vaccination just the same as if they had been the one vaccinated. CDC recommends that all person's who have been vaccinated to wash their hands thoroughly or rub hands with 60% alcohol, after touching the vaccination site to reduce the risk of transmission to anyone they have contact with.

CDC pox virus expert Dr. Inger Damon was quoted by Reuters as saying, "So I think this is one of those unfortunate events where a family member who was at risk from vaccinia ends up coming in contact with a vaccinated individual."

Per the family's request their names and residence were not being released to the public.

Sources:

Associated Press:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070317/ap_on_he_me/vaccination_infection;_ylt=AmyaxWbiViWOZH9SY7QMaYzMWM0F

Reuters:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070319/hl_nm/smallpox_child_dc;_ylt=AlNqO8R3wXv3r0Fa35ay3O_gcbYF

Medscape Today:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/483590_10

http://www.medscape.com/medline/abstract/12617510