Vaccine Herd Immunity Questions in The Hill Opinion Piece
Novavax $1.5 Billion Dollar Loss

Animal Captivity Humanizes The Microbiome

Sick monkeyBy Teresa Conrick

The research on the Microbiome continues to be extremely important as it is seemingly illustrating the path to many of Mankind's diseases. A recent study really caught my interest as it appeared to show that the Microbiome is indeed a huge yardstick of health.  The study, Captivity humanizes the primate microbiome deserves attention, and for AUTISM, the begging question, is the MICROBIOME the increasing reason for regression in so many children today? What is driving the Autism Microbiome to a unique and pathogenic state?  The use of antibiotics apparently was NOT the reason for the changes in the microbiome of the monkeys.

Highlights from the study:

  • A new study led by the University of Minnesota shows that monkeys in captivity lose much of their native gut bacteria diversity and their gut bacteria ends up resembling those of humans. 
  •  The microbiome (or gut bacteria) has been tied to a wide variety of medical conditions[emphasis mine] from autism to obesity


  • In the wild, each primate species had its own signature fingerprint of microbes. Yet in captivity, they all lost their distinctive microbes and ended up being dominated by the same bacteria that dominate our human guts—species of Bacteroides and Prevotella

  • However, the causes and consequences of how the gut bacteria of humans changes as societies become modernized and westernized is still a mystery because there are too many variables when studying humans

  • This along with other analyses to rule out confounding factors like genetics, geography and antibiotic usage [emphasis mine] , suggested a simple explanation for why the captive primate guts looked more like human guts on the inside—they weren't eating enough plants.
  • But is that the simple explanation, I wondered?  Since seeing my own daughter have subtle regressions after each vaccine but enormous regression after her MMR vaccine, I wanted to find out -- DOES CAPTIVITY MEAN VACCINATION? The developmental regression of Autism for Meg and most others coincided with severe GI issues, chronic infections and immune dysfunction. These monkeys were not being investigated for Autism but the contents of their gut bacteria.   I decided to reach out to the researchers in this study and they were receptive:

    Hi Teresa,

    Great question. I am putting you in touch with the lead author.

    Hi Teresa,

    Thanks for your interest in our research. Sorry for the delay. I would have to look to answer your question specifically. I would say for sure that the howlers in the captive facility (5 individuals) were not vaccinated. Thus, in the case of the howlers, vaccination status wouldn't have influenced the differences in microbiome between captive and wild individuals.

    As for the captive doucs, I am not sure of vaccination status. However, I would say that the semi-captive doucs were not vaccinated. Vaccination status would depend on what the protocols were at the various zoo's, which would be located in the medical records. I would have to look at those to determine the vaccination status of the doucs at Philly, Singapore, and the primates at Como Zoo. 

    You bring up a very interesting point though...... maybe we could run the analysis at some point to test for the effect of vaccination status. Teresa, if we do run the analysis, we can certainly share those results with you.

    The topic of vaccination was not diminished nor denied, yet it is an unknown at this point.  Vaccination could be a prime factor in itself.  I thank these researchers for respecting my questions regarding vaccination and actually thinking of looking at future vaccine-microbiome data. Much research continues to show that Autism is a disease involving the MICROBIOME, ie, the bacteria and viruses of the gut.   Knowing how both the Microbiome and brain are connected in Autism and related medical conditions would be helpful in both prevention and treatments.

    Before I contacted the authors of the study, I did a bit of searching to see if vaccines were part of the picture for wild animals in full or partial captivity. :

    "Captivity may enhance the risk of acquiring disease based on food sources, exposure to rodents and other disease hosts, and an unknown degree of exposure of other zoo animals, which is unlikely to occur in nature. Thus, due consideration of protection of captive nondomestic species, even those destined for release to the wild, is warranted. Core vaccines are designated as those that protect captive animals from life-threatening, globally distributed diseases. The determination of protection has largely been based on studies in domestic species; nonetheless, based on current knowledge, these vaccines deserve full consideration for inclusion into vaccination regimens for captive exotic mammals."

    Here were reported vaccines specific to primates:

    •  For apes, a youngster vaccination schedule, based on the human schedule, should include the killed polio series and Haemophilusvaccination
    •  Immunization  -- "All susceptible species must be immunized using currently recommended procedures and products. Schedules and products will be dictated by the disease status of domestic and wild animals in the area surrounding the facility. The type, serial number, and source of product should be recorded in the individual animal’s medical records (see Appendix 4)." 

     Primates:

    •  Poliomyelitis. Oral vaccine for great apes (chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans) at three, six, and nine months and two years for juveniles. Adults of unknown history should be vaccinated three times at two month intervals. 
    •  Tetanus. As all primates are susceptible, tetanus vaccination is recommended; standard human tetanus toxoid is acceptable. The combination human vaccine is frequently used, containing diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus (DPT), however nonhuman primates are not susceptible to diphtheria and pertussis, and vaccination is not necessary. Immunizations are given at three, six, and nine months of age. Tetanus boosters may be given at three to five year intervals, or in case of injury. 
    •  Measles. Due to high mortality in some species (i.e., colobus, silver leaf monkeys, new world monkeys) vaccinations in newly imported wild caught animals is recommended. Vaccination of captive born animals should be reserved for infants with high exposure risk. Juvenile monkeys have prolonged maternal antibody protection, and should be vaccinated after six months of age and boostered in five to seven months. In great apes, maternal antibody may persist until the infant is approximately 15 months of age, therefore vaccination series should be done after that time. Products designed for humans may be used.
    •  Rabies. As all mammals, primates are susceptible to rabiesvirus infection. Vaccination should be done for animals with high chance of exposure, such as those housed outside in rabies-endemic areas. Only killed virus preparations should be used.

    It may be important to point out that the Measles vaccine that they recommend is the same as the human one, the MMR, Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine.  

    This quote from the VETERINARY STANDARDS COMMITTEE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO VETERINARIANS shows concern :  "The extra-label use of live or modified live vaccines should be avoided if possible due to the potential for vaccine-induced disease that has occurred. The possibility of viral shedding also exists when modified live vaccines are used."

    At this point, it's unclear about the monkeys in this study and the issue of vaccines. Looking for answers as to why the Microbiome changes to an unhealthy part in the human body and according to this study, the primate body, seems important.  Thanks again to these researchers for their concern and any future assistance.

    Teresa Conrick is Contributing Editor to Age of Autism.

    Comments

    Benedetta

    Bob Moffit;
    Maybe it is too late - people's logic cells of their brains are already ruined and they can't over ride their emotional centers.

    Benedetta

    Bob Moffit;

    I will admit that it more than discourages me (I am very emotionally tied up in this election than any ever before) that we finally have some one running for office that finally says vaccine do cause autism. Then I get heart wrenching pain, gnashing of teeth moments when we then have people, on this very "Age of Autism" That totally understand every aspect of what a vaccine injury means, not just autism, but all the other auto immune disease, and they start trying to twist it around that Hillary " the sky is blue vaccines are safe" , is some how going to be turning those winds around and we are going to get a strange isolated storm coming out of the east.

    Health Bites Online

    I wonder if when she said they were not vaccinated, she meant that she didn't vaccinate them. Certainly animals caught from the wild would've been quarantined, then vaccinated. Heck, you can't even bring a pet dog into any country without vaccinations. And in zoos, of course they are vaxed up to their ears. Zoo owners have invested a lot of money to acquire these prisoners, and they sure as hell want to protect their investments, and the surest way of "protecting" is by vaccination. Even my pets, every time they get sick and go to the vet, he would recommend vaccines. So it's unthinkable that a facility that breeds animals for researchers or zoos would skip on vaccines.

    nhokkanen

    Minnesota is one of the most heavily vaccinated states and home to vaccine researchers and pharma-paid consumer groups... so I'd think the Como Zoo primates in St. Paul, our capitol city, were vaccinated to the hilt.

    Bob Moffit

    @ Benedatta

    "But the political winds might change"

    I truly hope you are right .. but .. the cynic in me ... suggests .. the "political winds" will have absolutely nothing to do with it ... as those "winds" are fueled entirely by MONEY .. and .. MONEY will continue to make certain .. those "political winds" .. just like a tornado or hurricane .. remain blowing in the same direction of destruction .. they have been blowing in for decades upon decades.

    angus files

    Nagalase I think has been found in all vaccines Dr Bradstreet was on to it, before he died he had stopped testing Autistic kids for Nagalase .I wonder if the chimps were tested for nagalase .The Nagalase as we all know can be brought back to normal levels by using GcMAF.

    MMR RIP

    Jeannette Bishop

    Another factor to consider would be EMF. Perhaps prevalent frequencies in our culture impact some microbes more adversely than others?

    Jeannette Bishop

    Thank you again, Teresa. There are so many things we do we don't even think to question as a possible adverse intervention: vaccinations, cleaning products, pesticides in food, etc. Is proximity to us enough to modify an animal's gut colonization? I worry we've perhaps encouraged some microbes (not necessarily harmful ones) to develop survival mechanisms to the point they may outcompete some of the microbes that perform vital functions for our health.

    Benedetta

    Your researchers that are right now so open, and willingly to talk to you and even are excited about discussing their work with you ; (which is the way science is suppose to be) are so because they are still naïve. They have not run up against the vaccine pushers inside the medical federal agencies, the government that puts out money for the research.

    If we lose this battle, on vaccines, , and the CDC continues to change data in studies; well ---

    I have a question if by the year 2032 - 1 in 2 kids will have autism, won't things just come apart or to a standstill way before that number -- and what would that number be? 1 out 68? New Jersey is 1 out of 38 right now, and Utah too. Does all seem to be going well or as usual because this number is still just little little 8 year olds, or some young age?

    Every time I hear of any type of violence is related to brain injuries. The man that put the bombs in New York and New Jersey - his own father and brother had a great deal of trouble with him before hand. Nothing more dangerous that adding religion to a person that does not have their judgment intact.

    Ohhhh, and I have been watching all these Mothers and Fathers in the tour for "Vaxxed" So, many say that they just had a round of " for antibiotics after vaccinations, or their kids had some kind of bacteria, viral infection when vaccinated. Some reported that the pediatricians response was that if they waited until the kids never had an infection there would never be an opportunity to vaccinate. Looking back on my kids - I feel very strongly that the vaccines had damaged the immune system and my kids needed antibiotics. Antibiotics saved their life

    Antibiotics is not the cause but the symptom. The vaccines created the need for more of antibiotics than a baby would need if not vaccinated.

    That sounds like a good study too when we get the vaxed - unvaxxed study -- which I don't think we will in any timely manner.

    But the political winds might change.

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