SICK MONKEYS: RESEARCH LINKS VACCINE LOAD, AUTISM SIGNS

BY DAN OLMSTED

The first research project to examine effects of the total vaccine load received by children in the 1990s has found autism-like signs and symptoms in infant monkeys vaccinated the same way. The study's principal investigator, Laura Hewitson from the University of Pittsburgh, reports developmental delays, behavior problems and brain changes in macaque monkeys that mimic "certain neurological abnormalities of autism."

The findings are being reported Friday and Saturday at a major international autism conference in London.

Although couched in scientific language, Hewitson's findings are explosive. They suggest, for the first time, that our closest animal cousins develop characteristics of autism when subjected to the same immunizations – such as the MMR shot -- and vaccine formulations – such as the mercury preservative thimerosal -- that American children received when autism diagnoses exploded in the 1990s.

The first publicly reported results of this research project come in both oral and poster presentations on Friday and Saturday at the International Meeting For Autism Research in London. Poster presentations must go through a form of peer review before they are presented at the conference; the papers have not yet appeared in a scientific journal.

In addition to Hewitson's oral presentation today, on Saturday in one of two related poster presentations, the researchers also are reporting in their abstract that "vaccinated animals exhibited progressively severe chronic active inflammation [in gastrointestinal tissue] whereas unexposed animals did not. We have found many significant differences in the GI tissue gene expression profiles between vaccinated and unvaccinated animals." Numerous scientific studies, as well as many parents, report severe GI ailments in children with regressive autism.

The results are sure to be controversial, in part because they lend credence to studies first published in 1998 by British pediatric gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield, one of Hewitson's co-authors on these findings. He described an unusual inflammatory bowel condition in children who had regressed into autism after they received the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination. Wakefield is currently fighting charges of medical misconduct in Britain over allegations of conflict-of-interest and improper procedures related to that paper. He denies the charges.

In the program for the conference, the 7th Annual International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR), there are three separate presentations listed that report results from the overall research program. The first, an oral presentation entitled "Pediatric Vaccines Influence Primate Behavior, and Amygdala Growth and Opioid Ligand Binding" (the "amygdala abstract") was led by Dr. Hewitson and lists 12 co-authors, including five of her colleagues from the University of Pittsburgh and Dr. Wakefield. Other authors are chemists, pathologists and psychologists from the universities of Kentucky, California-Irvine, and Washington.

Hewitson's introductory presentation will be followed by two poster presentations on Saturday; one of the two, "Pediatric Vaccines Influence Primate Behavior, and Brain Stem Volume and Opioid Ligand Binding", was led by Wakefield and includes six additional co-authors.

It focuses on the developmental effect of vaccine exposures on brain growth during infancy. The second, "Microarray Analysis of GI Tissue in a Macaque Model of the Effects of Infant Vaccination," was led by Steven Walker of Wake Forest University and performed gene array analysis on the intestinal tissues of the vaccinated and unvaccinated monkeys.

The studies address – albeit in animals, not children -- one of the major criticisms by parents and scientists concerned about a possible link between the greatly stepped-up immunization schedule in the 1990s, including higher exposure to the mercury preservative, and autism. While the Food and Drug Administration approves individual vaccines as safe and effective, and an advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the childhood immunization schedule adopted by the states, the overall health outcomes from the total vaccine load, versus no vaccinations at all, have never been compared, the authors said.

A bill requiring the government to conduct a study of autism rates in unvaccinated American children is pending in the U.S. House of Representatives, co-sponsored by Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Tom Osborne (R.-Neb.). Just this week, former National Institutes of Health Director Bernadine Healy called for more research into a possible vaccine link to autism and said the question had not been settled, despite repeated assertions to that effect by the CDC, the Institute of Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

In the abstract for today's oral presentation, the authors noted that macaques, the type of monkey used in the study, "are commonly used in pre-clinical vaccine safety testing, but the combined childhood vaccine regimen, rather than individual vaccines, has not been studied. Childhood vaccines are a possible causal factor in autism, and abnormal behaviors and anomalous amygdala growth are potentially inter-related features of this condition."

The study found evidence of both behavioral and biological changes after the 13 macaque monkey infants were administered proportional doses, adjusted for age, of the vaccines recommended between 1994 and 1999. Three monkeys were not given any vaccines.

"Primate development, cognition and social behavior were assessed for both vaccinated and unvaccinated infants using standardized tests developed at the Washington National Primate Research Center." MRI and PET scans looked for brain changes after administration of the MMR.

"Compared with unexposed animals, significant neurodevelopmental deficits were evident for exposed animals in survival reflexes, tests of color discrimination and reversal, and learning sets," the authors reported. "Differences in behaviors were observed between exposed and unexposed animals and within the exposed group before and after MMR vaccination. Compared with unexposed animals, exposed animals showed attenuation of amygdala growth and differences in the amygdala binding of [11C]diprenorphine. Interaction models identified significant associations between specific aberrant social and non-social behaviors, isotope binding, and vaccine exposure."

One of the Saturday abstracts makes the further point that the research "revealed significant differences between exposed and unexposed animals" in the kinds of developmental behaviors a mother might be able to observe, "with delayed acquisition of root, suck, clasp hand, and clasp foot reflexes." They conclude by noting that "This animal model examines the neurological consequences of the childhood vaccine regimen, Functional and … brainstem anomalies were evident in vaccinated animals that may be relevant to some aspects of autism. The findings raise important safety issues while providing a potential animal model for examining aspects of causation and disease pathogenesis in acquired neurodevelopmental disorders."
--
Dan Olmsted is Editor of Age of Autism.

Comments

[John Fryer Chemist]

Hi Tonya

Yes, its not just vaccines and sadly some vaccines are needed for the MATURE human but not the still-developing baby.

Long before the diphtheria vaccine existed; this was the death rate in London year-after-year.

ZERO, ZERO, ZERO.

Billions of vaccines given ad nauseum for an illness that killed NO ONE, when sanitary conditions were so bad the Thames was an OPEN SEWER.

And it would be nice for someone to explain away ANAPHYLAXIS as the normal reaction to REPEAT vaccines. See work of Charles Richet.

When I was learning science: FACTS were FACTS.

Today you pay the PIPER and call the TUNE.

As for Safety Tests on Hep B for one day infants there isn't even a TUNE. Paid for or not.

The only FACTS about Hep B for one day babies are that it BLOWS heads up and kills them in rather large numbers.

[John Fryer]

Hi

Someone mentions oxygen tents but some autism theories would imply that this extra oxygen actually is toxic.

This is just a statement without any proof either way but I feel uneasy about this treatment without some concrete proof of benefit.

Rather like lupron - rather extreme.

Far better to avoid getting autism but until organomercury is taken out of vaccines and the Hep B vaccines at birth and worse flu shots et al for the pregnant mother, we are lost. I think we see evident harm in the mantra that vaccines can do no harm which is stupid and well meaning amateurs who do not always help.

For me the chelating methods seem best and the fact that standard medical doctors deny this treatment is doubly EVIL.

[Heidi N]

My son, Kyle, who is now recovered could barely suck and had abnormal reflexes until he was recovered. He was born with his symptoms, but I received a tetanus booster when I was 6 months pregnant. Go figure. Anyhow, to recover him I treated him for pathogens and toxins, and gf-cf, organic diet.

[Tammy Swanson]

I read in the book "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon (one of my favorite books!) that using fresh cilantro can help remove peripheral mercury in the system, especially hard to remove areas. It has to be fresh however, there is some active constituent in the fresh cilantro leaves. I don't know the dosage, but it's something to look into if you or someone you know has autism.

[Jo]

Lori, here is the abstract:

http://www.safeminds.org/research/pediatric-vaccines-influence-primat-behavior.html

The study is currently in review and has not been published yet.

[Maggie]

There is a definite reason for regressive autism. "Something" has happened to interrupt the normal development of these children. Vaccination obviously is a possible cause. Why have we not discontinued even the slightest possible culprits until further studies have been accomplished?

Do we really have to reduce our standing from protective parents of these innocent children, to "we the people" (tax payers)?

Ok:

If it's all about the mighty dollar, then how much do these governing agencies predict we will spend in tax dollars to fulfill our obligations to provide free and appropriate education to the disabled when we are adding 1 in 144 to the current disabled population?

And what about their new medical needs? One study shows improvement for certain autistic children who are given a sort of oxygen tent to sit in for a couple of hours a day. This "tent" costs $3000.00 a month to rent or $20,000.00 to own! This is just 1 of the current promising treatments for autistic children.

And what happens when the parents/caregivers of these dependant special needs autistic children grow old and die? Where do they go then, if not to governmentally subsidized institutions? Isn't that going to cost us a hell of allot more than alternative vaccinations procedures and/or further studies?

1 in 144! Isn't that more than we have in criminal institutions? If it's all about the mighty buck, then something better be done soon, or we really will be better off taking our chances unvaccinated!

[Lori]

Could someone please send me a link to the actual peer-reviewed article? I keep looking for it, but it doesn't seem to exist.
Thanks.

[doodle]

Craig,

Check the post again for sarcasm and you'll see what I was saying.

[Veronica]

I KNOW you are right. I have been trapped since about 12 years old. I only find "life" through dexamphetamine. Then I go to sleep again.
I am also trying to attachment-parent my two little boys.
I am literally in hell. I recognise that I am not doing my boys any favours.
I can't normally reach for help because I find every-day life difficult enough. It is an effort to take out the trash. I can't even vacuum the floor.
I am on my tablets now, as I write.
That's how I found you. Otherwise I would be asleep.
I have been wondering about "mad-hatter" mercury for 4 years, since I decided NOT to immunise my kids.
They are so healthy and wonderful. It is ME who is unpredictable because I live in TWO WORLDS.
I hate myself this way. I am hurting my kids.
What can I do to pull myself out?
Please help. I have given up everything to raise my boys as best I can. There is no ego left. I will do what it takes.
What can you advise me to do?
Veronica

[Raj B. Edwards]

Autism spectrum adverse effects are Blood type specific A + and O+ usually and usually male - there are associated metabolic disorders and DNA methylation is the culprit

Please send me your phone contact info lets talk

Raj

[Craig Willoughby]

Doodle,
The CDC et al have NEVER cherry picked data to make their studies more favorable (*cough* Denmark Study)? The pHARMa corps have never lied about the safety of their products (*cough cough* Vioxx)? But when we realease a preliminary report that contradicts and questions the safety of the all-so-holy vaccine program, you accuse us of cherry-picking data? Come on, now, this is a PRELIMINARY REPORT!

[doodle]

Psuedonym, you are reading the exact same abstracts we are.

Abstracts 1 and 2.

"Macaques were administered the recommended infant vaccines, adjusted for age and thimerosal dose (exposed; N=13), or saline (unexposed; N=3)."

abstract 3

"Infant male macaques were vaccinated (or given saline placebo) using the human vaccination schedule. Dosages and times of administration were adjusted for differences between macaques and humans."

Before jumping to your conclusion that researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, Kentucky, and other research houses are unscientific dolts, maybe look at each abstract individually. Maybe they are cherry-picking the monkies for genetic analysis.... or just maybe, there are two sets of macaques. Or maybe you have knowledge of the experiments you would like to share. Your post would be longer if you did, but I will give you the benefit of the doubt that you did not give to the researchers involved in this work.

[Johnathon]

From the Study author's mouth. Dan, try to actually do research for your posts:

For Immediate Release 06/01/2006

Wake Forest Researcher Warns Against Making Connection Between Presence of Measles Virus and Autism
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – An American scientist whose research replicates a connection published in England in 2002 between the measles virus and bowel disease in autistic children strongly warns against making the “leap” to suggesting that the measles vaccine might actually cause autism.

“That is not what our research is showing,” said Stephen J. Walker, Ph.D., an assistant professor of physiology and pharmacology at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. Walker and colleagues have issued an abstract to be presented at this week’s International Meeting for Autism Research, indicating that a high percentage of autistic children that they have tested with chronic bowel disease show evidence of measles virus in their intestines.

Some observers have said that the presence of the measles virus indicates a strong possibility that the measles vaccine, a possible source of the virus, could have caused the children’s autism. That possible connection has caused a major controversy in the United Kingdom, where the connection was first made in 2002. The vaccine is first given as part of a triple vaccine called MMR – for measles, mumps and rubella – at ages 12-18 months. That is shortly before a particular type of autism (regressive) begins to appear in children afflicted with the condition, which has fueled the speculation about a connection.

Walker says the new research does not support the connection, and he notes that the results have not even been published in a peer-reviewed journal. “Even if we showed association (between measles virus and bowel disease) and we published it in a peer-reviewed journal, the conclusion will be simply that there is measles virus in the gut of a large number of children who have regressive autism and bowel disease. End of story.

“We haven’t done anything to demonstrate that the measles virus is causing autism or even causing bowel disease.”

Walker explains that exploring the causes of chronic bowel disease in autistic children is the major impetus for his research. “There are lots of viruses in the gut, and any one of them could be causing inflammation. If it truly is from a vaccine and this virus causes inflammation and a chronic bowel condition in some susceptible children, then that’s something that needs to be known.”

The main task at hand, Walker said, is to determine what is causing the bowel condition in the autistic children, a condition that has a direct influence on cognitive and behavioral issues associated with autism.

A high percentage of autistic children have chronic bowel disease, a discovery in the late 1990s that eventually led to the measles virus connection.

“If anybody has severe GI problems, it causes problems with focus, it causes problems with everything. You can’t do anything until you get that resolved. We’ve all experienced that.

“These kids experience it hour after hour every single day of their lives. Many of them are non-verbal so they can’t tell anybody what the problem is, and the behavior that they exhibit as a result of a severe stomach ache was once attributed to just being autistic and having weird behaviors – for example, leaning over the sharp edge of a coffee table for hours at a time. That seems weird, but what they’re doing is relieving pressure on their lower abdomen.”

Walker said that relieving the bowel discomfort has been shown to improve other conditions associated with autism, such as cognition and the ability to learn. “There’s case after case where kids improved cognitively, behaviorally and biomedically when you treat the bowel disease. There is a great improvement from better nutrition alone. You see improvements in their overall condition.”

Walker said he will continue to look for possible causes, the biological mechanism, and new treatments of the bowel condition. “That’s the goal for me: understanding the biology of what’s causing the disease and then gaining insight into the most effective way to treat it, so that clinicians will not have to go through a trial and error approach.”

# # #

Media Contacts: Mark Wright, mwright@wfubmc.edu, Karen Richardson, krchrdsn@wfubmc.edu, or Shannon Koontz, shkoontz@wfubmc.edu, at (336) 716-4587.

Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center is an academic health system comprised of North Carolina Baptist Hospital and Wake Forest University Health Sciences, which operates the university’s School of Medicine. The system comprises 1,187 acute care, psychiatric, rehabilitation and long-term care beds and is consistently ranked as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” by U.S. News & World Report.

http://www1.wfubmc.edu/news/NewsArticle.htm?Articleid=1856

[Johnathon]

Please provide valid study citations. Also, please be sure to explain the concept of the blood brain barrier to the group.

[Anne]

What is it going to take for the CDC, NIH, pharm companies to open their eyes and see what is happening to our children. What was back in the 70's when only 10 vaccines were administered to a child before shcool age and in the 1990's has increased to 36 vaccines for each child---shows it all. Not only is it the mercury/thimerosal and the MMR shots, but all the other chemicals that are included in these vaccines. Check out the ingredients of the flu vaccine--full of chemicals. In my opinion, the elephant is right there in the living room and these vaccine companies are driven by $$--their studies are tainted-it's all about the $$ and not the lives that have been so deeply affected. I agree that they will not see the light until it affects someone in their family and as the rate of autism has continued to increase, no doubt they will be affected. Thimerosal has not been removed--don't believe it until you check each individual vaccine--it is in the flu vaccine and look at the pregnant mothers that are told to get the flu shot! I don't need these studies-it is pure common sense and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out! I pray for our future with all of these families that have children with autism.

[AN]

This scientifically based research is the closest thing we've come to actually saying to our government we told you so... Now we should be focusing on what levels of these chemicals are inside our children, how to rid them of it and how to combat or reverse the effects if possible. As a parent of a child with autism and professional Therapist I know what happend to my son when these shots were given, I know what happened when I had to have these shots for school for my graduate degree, I was sick for days............so what does it take for people to listen, what has to happen for some type of action, apparently monkeys with Autism. Maybe now we'll see some action.........something doesnt make sense here???

[nhokkanen]

Tsu Dho Nimh... Pseudonym... As Beavis and Butthead would say, "Heh. Heh heh heh."

You said, "You don't throw out data until it all agrees with your wishes for the results." Funny thing, though -- former CDC employee Thomas Verstraeten did just that. He advanced his career and financial portfolio by tweaking the VSD data to drastically reduce relative risk.

How many other CDC employees are following suit?

[Leanne Veitch]

I'm wondering about the incidence of autism among families with other genetically-linked inflammatory conditions e.g. eczema, asthma, lupus, general allergies. Is it more common in these families?

[Shannon Carpenter]

Philly Mom-thanks for the laugh.
Toni why don't you ask Offit if he is biased about vaccines. Ask the Big Pharma if they are biased biased about vaccines. Better yet ask the CDC why they put the database into the hands of a private company and while you are at it ask them why they haven't done basic research like vaccinated vs. unnvaccinated populations, why haven't they looked the cumlative effects of all these vaccines on our children, why do they average out the mercury in shots by months to make it look safe, why did Bill Frist slip in further insurance for Big Pharma right before he left office, why are the statistics of "1 in 150 kids" from data that is over four years old. After you do that, then ask about Hewiston.

[Kelli Ann Davis]

Tsu Dho Nimh:

“Why are they….? Are they only…..? What if….?”

Good questions so why don’t you wait until the full study is published before you go *jumping* to conclusions about whether “real science” was done or not?

It never ceases to amaze me to read about *experts* (think ORAC) who somehow feel they are qualified to give an in-depth analysis on something they haven’t even read???

Doesn’t that just make common sense?

John/Brian:

Focus….focus. The point is *the study* not whether the fooking picture is the *exact* species of monkey used in the study!!!

Pleeze….give us a break. I’m sure Kim was just trying to find a picture of a monkey to tie into the article.

Take a look at the other articles posted on this site. Do the pictures *precisely match* every piece written?? OF COURSE NOT.

Bottom Line: Get a grip.

Kelli