immunity [was: cervical cancer vaccine

[Shannon Nelson]

And I remember my own chicken pox, that the only troublesome thing about it, was that I wasn't allowed to go out to play! And it itched a bit.

The others: DPT is diptheria, pertussis and tetanus--none of those is a "childhood" disease; none is anything one is "supposed" to get, and no, I never heard of anyone giving or getting any of those on purpose.

Ditto smallpox; whooping cough is pertussis, see above...

Rubella is measles, and yes, same was done with that, tho we were never able to find a case to get exposed to. (And I gather that is potentially more serious than chicken pox, esp. if the child is vitamin A deficient.)

Mumps we got, and I remember it being barely more than a blip of inconvenience, not being allowed out to play.
Anyway it was that for my brothers; I didn't get it until age 22, and at that age it is/was HORRIBLE, the most painful thing I have ever experienced (including two childbirths). *Far* better to get at a more appropriate age! And in fact that is one of the disadvantages of the immunization program; immunity is only temporary, wears off after a decade or so (and Sheri will say there never *is* any immunity, nor anything to become immune from), leaving the person vulnerable at a much more problematic age.

However, evidence seems to be that *all* successfully met immune challenges do help to "build the immunity"--practice makes perfect, use-it-or-lose-it...

Shannon