vaccinated children catching pertussis/whooping cough?

[garddwr]

About 10 days ago several people in my family came down with respiratory infection symptoms, and a couple of days later a friend we had recently spent time with called to say her 8 year old daughter had been diagnosed with whooping cough. I'm pretty sure her child is vaccinated, and all of mine are--but this "cold" seems to be getting worse not better. Does anyone have experience with vaccinated children catching whooping cough? I'm taking my 6 year old in to the doctor this afternoon and want to ask him to run tests for whooping cough but I'm afraid he will just brush me off because we are all vaccinated. I've been reading up on the disease and the symptoms in the first couple of weeks are just like any respiratory infection so it is hard to catch, but that is when antibiotic treatment needs to be started for it to be helpful.

[momofkhm]

It is possible. I don't remember any of the symptoms involved but I vaccinated all my kids on the regular schedule. But they sent me with ds to the hospital to run a pertusis test. He was wee at the time, I'm sure he was less than 2 and the test involved getting a snot sample. At least I think it did. They stuck a very small tube up his nose. Not pleasant for him at all!

[momofkhm]

It is possible. I don't remember any of the symptoms involved but I vaccinated all my kids on the regular schedule. But they sent me with ds to the hospital to run a pertusis test. He was wee at the time, I'm sure he was less than 2 and the test involved getting a snot sample. At least I think it did. They stuck a very small tube up his nose. Not pleasant for him at all! His turned out negative, and I was the one saying "But he's been vaccinated!"

[UmMusa]

It is making a comeback in WA state and cases are like quadruple what they were last year, so go ahead and check it out.

[weyland]

We have a friend here in Oregon who was just diagnosed with whooping cough, and he had been vaccinated. He has been sick since February and they just recently, after several doctors and specialists, found out what was wrong with him (they tested for pertussis at first, but the test was negative, it was too soon? they finally re-tested recently and it was positive).

I know of 2 other pertussis cases in our homeschool community, but I don't know if they were vaccinated or not.

[weyland]

We have a friend here in Oregon who was just diagnosed with whooping cough, and he had been vaccinated. He has been sick since February and they just recently, after several doctors and specialists, found out what was wrong with him (they tested for pertussis at first, but the test was negative, it was too soon? they finally re-tested recently and it was positive).

I know of 2 other pertussis cases in our homeschool community, but I don't know if they were vaccinated or not.

[mommymilkies]

It's not just possible, it's common. My dh, oldest vaccinated dd and my 2 yo (partially vaxed) got it a few years ago. It wasn't that big a deal.

[myfunnybunch]

It's not just possible, it's common. My dh, oldest vaccinated dd and my 2 yo (partially vaxed) got it a few years ago. It wasn't that big a deal.

 

Yes, it's not uncommon. It's been present in our community for several years, and my vaccinated daughters probably had whooping cough when they were younger. Our pediatrician said that typically the vaccinated children have less severe symptoms of shorter duration, but they can still get it.

 

I'd have him checked out.

 

Cat

[iafrmgrl77]

It's not just possible, it's common.

 

:iagree: And we don't actually know how often this happens, because vaccinated children and/or adults are often not tested for pertussis, under the assumption that they are vaccinated, and therefore could not possibly have it. I am NOT saying this is always the case, but it does happen.

[Plucky]

Yes, a couple of my kid did & they were vaxed for it.

[Scuff]

I don't think the test is completely reliable, either. There's a small window for when they will test positive and often it just appears as a cold then. My 4 had it last winter and only 1 tested positive. She didn't even have the worst symptoms.

[Penelope]

The vaccination isn't 100% effective, and also the immunity dissipates after a few years.

Edited May 5, 2012 by Penelope

[Mergath]

My vaccinated dd might have had it last year. We're pretty sure that's what it was, but they didn't test because the treatment was the same either way. Her symptoms were relatively minor though, thanks to the vax.

[JFSinIL]

My nieces got it a few years back - both were up-to-date on all shots. In our local schools they are demanding proof of DTaP shot for all kids. SillyAutismMan's school sent home a note just last week that they had a case in the school.

[JFSinIL]

My nieces got it a few years back - both were up-to-date on all shots. In our local schools they are demanding proof of DTaP shot for all kids, not just DTP or whatever the initials used to be. SillyAutismMan's school sent home a note just last week that they had a case in the school.

[Seeking Squirrels]

Yes, it happens a lot more than most people realize. Vaccines are not 100% effective. And as another poster commented, I think more of the vaxed cases go undiagnosed because they don't test for it as quickly as they would on a non-vaxed child. Last year DD and I both got pretty sick with exactly the same symptoms and presentation. They sent me home telling me it was just a virus and to get rest and fluids. But because DD wasn't vaxed, they immediately tested her for everything under the sun. Even though it was obvious that whatever we had, we had the same thing.

[Momof3littles]

The pertussis vax works by vaccinating against the toxin produced by the pertussis bacteria. For that reason, you can still theoretically have someone carry it and spread it even if they are fully vaxed. They should not have as serious of a case, and would theoretically cause less spread because they'd be hacking less. But since you can still transmit the bacteria, it can be spread by fully vaccinated people.

 

We have had several small outbreaks diagnosed locally. In every case so far, the kids diagnosed were all vaccinated. This was the case in 4-5 different schools locally. In one case, there was an unvaccinated teacher who came down with pertussis.

 

You can google for asymptomatic reservoir for pertussis and terms like that to see how there can be "silent infection."

 

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/6/5/00-0512_article.htm

 

But yes, possible for the fully vaxed to contract it and to spread it.

Edited May 4, 2012 by Momof3littles

[prairiewindmomma]

It's fairly common here. We have had several outbreaks in our local schools over the last few years involving hundreds of people. Most people aren't tested and just assume that they have a cough that lasts for weeks on end.

[Rivka]

The pertussis vaccine is one of the least effective ones, although at least it provides good protection to babies (who are most likely to die if they contract it). As others have said, it does reduce the severity of the symptoms even in older vaccinated people.

[nova147]

This WebMd article is fairly informative.

 

From the article:

 

After the third dose -- given at age 6 months -- children have 80% to 85% immunity against pertussis. Protection lasts from three to five years.

 

 

The pertussis vaccine reduces the severity of whooping cough, so most vaccinated teens and adults experience relatively mild symptoms.

[Lab1]

Its really common! They have not updated the vaccine, and the disease mutates. The vaccine gives people a false sense of protection.

[raceNzanesmom]

The majority of cases of whooping cough are vaccinated people.

[garddwr]

Update:

 

Went to the doctor, he thought pertussis was unlikely because ds doesn't have the typical cough--umm, everything I read about the disease says that the cough develops a couple of weeks after the cold-like symptoms, and effective treatment needs to happen before the cough develops. Anyway, he was willing to test but won't have the right lab materials until tomorrow so we have to go back. We did get an antibiotic prescription for the ear infection (secondary of course to the respiratory infection) that I already knew he had--I have never yet been wrong when I mommy-diagnosed an ear infection!

[Sevilla]

About 10 days ago several people in my family came down with respiratory infection symptoms, and a couple of days later a friend we had recently spent time with called to say her 8 year old daughter had been diagnosed with whooping cough. I'm pretty sure her child is vaccinated, and all of mine are--but this "cold" seems to be getting worse not better. Does anyone have experience with vaccinated children catching whooping cough? I'm taking my 6 year old in to the doctor this afternoon and want to ask him to run tests for whooping cough but I'm afraid he will just brush me off because we are all vaccinated. I've been reading up on the disease and the symptoms in the first couple of weeks are just like any respiratory infection so it is hard to catch, but that is when antibiotic treatment needs to be started for it to be helpful.

1. yes, vaccinated people get whooping cough. Pertussis is one of the least effective and most quickly wearing off vaccines (this is why multiple boosters have been added over the years - it is estimated that it gives protection for 5-6 years when it works (85% effectiveness rate) so when a child hits age 9-11 they are no longer technically 'vaccinated' in terms of immunity). Then you have the 15% of vaccinated individuals that did NOT receive immunity from it.

 

2. You can ask your doctor to run the test for the specific bacteria to find out what it is.

[EKS]

It is absolutely possible, and the reason why whooping cough was kept at bay for so many years was because of herd immunity--many people in the population were immune (from the vaccine), so the disease had a difficult time spreading. With so many people declining vaccines these days, the herd immunity is no longer there.

 

My mother had whooping cough; she knows the vaccine is better than the disease. Unfortunately, most people under the age of, say, 60, don't have experience with the disease.

[TGHEALTHYMOM]

:iagree: It is making it's rounds :tongue_smilie: My 2 oldest had it when they were young and had all their shots.

 

 

Then about 3 years ago I had a ds less than 1 and 5 children total. Our oldest son helped light fireworks and was exposed to alot of smoke.

The next few days he was coughing, but then he started coughing all night and it sounded horrid.

 

My dh took him to the Dr. who prescribed allergy medicine. I did not think it was allergies at all. Needless to say, we all got Pertussis and it was scary. I called the Dr. and he prescribed us all antibiotics. It took several weeks to get well and the pain in my chest was horrible. We had litte trash cans all over the house for the whoops!!

 

It is the harsh cough with the whoop sound that let me know what it was. And the a/c in summer made it worse for us.

 

Also, when it spread so fast that was another clue.

 

I used a facial steamer I had and put Eucalyptus oil and Peppermint oil in it several times a day to help us get some relief as well.

 

It is more dangerous in infants than anyone, so I was glad I was still nursing our ds and he had a rough time, but I think nursing him made it easier on him.

[Jennifer in MI]

We had it last summer. It was HORRIBLE!!!! Absolutely HORRIBLE!!!!! My ds then 10 got it first. He has asthma, so we treated with breathing treatments first, antibiotics second, and steroids third. Our allergist ended up diagnosing it based on symptoms and not on a test because after antibiotics, you won't test positive. Then, dd then 5 got it. Again, HORRIBLE!!! It was SO scary. She would wake up in the morning SOOOOOO scared because she couldn't catch her breath. I want to cry when I think about it.

 

Then, ds, then 15 got it. His was by FAR the easiest case. Maybe because he was older - I don't know.

 

Watching my two with awful cases deal with it was SO hard. Ds basically missed an entire baseball season. He was just SOOO sick. He'd wake up in the morning and sit in the recliner in our family room because it was close to the back door. He'd run out the door and cough so hard he'd throw up multiple times over our back porch. When he didn't throw up, there was HUGE quantities of mucous. And, the whoop. OMG. That whoop. I filmed it. It makes me cry to watch it. And, my tiny dd. She'd wake up mulitple times a night and cough so hard she'd throw up. Then, during the day, she'd feel the urge to cough and just start crying and shaking because she was so scared.

 

Sorry to go on and on. The memory is very fresh. And, I feel very misled about the vaccines. They both got them for whooping cough (and we don't vaccinate for everything).

 

:grouphug: I hope it's not what your kids have. If they've already had an antibiotic, they will not test positive. If your kids get that whoop or have a cough that lasts for 3 months, assume it's whooping cough, even if it's not officially diagnosed.

[bzymom]

I was really surprised to see this thread. My 14 yr old d/d is in the midst of pertussis and is fully vaccinated.

 

She is now on steroids, an inhaler twice a day, rescue inhaler as needed (different meds), and a nebulizer 3 times per day.

 

This has been the most horrible illness. I am not easily scared or reactive when my kids are sick or injured, and this has scared me to death. The cough spasms are actually more one cough, or half a cough, which immediately has her gasping, whooping, wheezing and completely unable to breathe.

 

 

 

If anybody suspects pertussis, please see a doctor and get an antibiotic. It will not change the course of the illness, but if given immediately will keep it from spreading. If the cough starts to pull air from your child's lungs in any capacity, get a rescue inhaler. It can very quickly progress and I don't know what we would have done without it.

Edited May 5, 2012 by bzymom

[Momof3littles]

It is absolutely possible, and the reason why whooping cough was kept at bay for so many years was because of herd immunity--many people in the population were immune (from the vaccine), so the disease had a difficult time spreading. With so many people declining vaccines these days, the herd immunity is no longer there.

 

My mother had whooping cough; she knows the vaccine is better than the disease. Unfortunately, most people under the age of, say, 60, don't have experience with the disease.

Well, there are issues with how long it lasts. I remember hearing 5-7 years, but now there's some research saying it may be even shorter. Forbes did a piece about a new study saying it may be as little as 3 years of immunity. No one is getting boosted every 3 years.

[Lisbeth]

It is absolutely possible, and the reason why whooping cough was kept at bay for so many years was because of herd immunity--many people in the population were immune (from the vaccine), so the disease had a difficult time spreading. With so many people declining vaccines these days, the herd immunity is no longer there.

 

My mother had whooping cough; she knows the vaccine is better than the disease. Unfortunately, most people under the age of, say, 60, don't have experience with the disease.

 

Agree! We are losing herd immunity. VERY unfortunate. It is like the saying...those who don't read have no advantage over those who can't. Same with vaccines. Sad when those fortunate enough to live in the first world throw away aspects of that advantage.

[Scuff]

Update:

 

Went to the doctor, he thought pertussis was unlikely because ds doesn't have the typical cough--umm, everything I read about the disease says that the cough develops a couple of weeks after the cold-like symptoms, and effective treatment needs to happen before the cough develops. Anyway, he was willing to test but won't have the right lab materials until tomorrow so we have to go back. We did get an antibiotic prescription for the ear infection (secondary of course to the respiratory infection) that I already knew he had--I have never yet been wrong when I mommy-diagnosed an ear infection!

 

One of the sad things about this, that will hopefully rectify itself with time, is that many doctors are still ignorant of the disease. I love my dr that she recognized the possibility of wc in my 8yo and prescripted the antibiotics just incase. (and she's usually conservative about such things) i credit that and breastfeeding with saving my 4 wk old dd's life. But even though we had a confirmed case, many other drs were in denial. My unvac. Nieces and vac. College-age cousin apl caught it from us. Even though they were exposed to known cases, their drs would not recognized that it could be wc. The cousin switched drs and got the care they needed. The nieces got multiple misdiagnoses and frustration even when it was obviously wc. I also had trouble with an er dr who just thought I was paranoid when I brought in my baby one weekend. (she had atypical symptoms and was not the child eho tested positive. It was Sunday night and by the time i had argued with them for hours, she had gotten better for the time being and I knew her dr would take care of it when she opened in a few hours.) (babies that young often don't have the dtrength to cough a typical whoop. They spit up instead. They still have the cold symptoms and still can have trouble breathing, but they are silent about it. This doesn't mean they are not sick and is still quite dangerous, even if they don't sound bad. Actually, it can be worse, since they don't wake you to alert you to trouble.)

Edited May 5, 2012 by Scuff
Adding atypical syptoms in case it is helpful for someone.

[NittanyJen]

Our doc revaxxes everyone for pertussis--including adults-- about every 5-6 years, because it wears off. It makes her nuts when adults fail to get booster shots and allow preventable stuff to regain a foothold.

[....]

Update:

 

Went to the doctor, he thought pertussis was unlikely because ds doesn't have the typical cough--umm, everything I read about the disease says that the cough develops a couple of weeks after the cold-like symptoms, and effective treatment needs to happen before the cough develops. Anyway, he was willing to test but won't have the right lab materials until tomorrow so we have to go back. We did get an antibiotic prescription for the ear infection (secondary of course to the respiratory infection) that I already knew he had--I have never yet been wrong when I mommy-diagnosed an ear infection!

 

Hi, I had pertussis about 3 years ago. It started as a cold. I had a cough and I thought is was just a residual cough that dragged on and on. The prescription they gave me (an antibiotic?) got rid of it FAST. I can't remember the name of the prescription, but it was very effective.

 

I had also been vaccinated for everything. The doctor told me that he thinks there are either "bad batches" of pertussis immunizations or that the vaccinations wear off. Not sure if this is true, but I also thought it was odd that I would catch something like that.

[EKS]

Well, there are issues with how long it lasts. I remember hearing 5-7 years, but now there's some research saying it may be even shorter. Forbes did a piece about a new study saying it may be as little as 3 years of immunity. No one is getting boosted every 3 years.

 

Yes, but the point is that years ago, when most everyone was vaccinated, this was much less of an issue because the disease wasn't able to get a foothold into communities. Now, we're seeing that the vaccine isn't perfect (no vaccine is perfect). And what's really sad is that the anti-vaccine people are using this as an excuse to not get vaccinated. The let others take the risk of getting vaccinated (and of course there are risks to vaccines) and then enjoying the herd immunity that comes with the risk those others took. Unfortunately, in many communities, we're seeing many more cases of whooping cough because so many people are refusing vaccination.

 

That said, I agree that adjusting the booster schedule may be in order. I know they did it a few years ago when they added a booster at age 10 or so.

[Lady Florida.]

Yes, but the point is that years ago, when most everyone was vaccinated, this was much less of an issue because the disease wasn't able to get a foothold into communities. Now, we're seeing that the vaccine isn't perfect (no vaccine is perfect). And what's really sad is that the anti-vaccine people are using this as an excuse to not get vaccinated. The let others take the risk of getting vaccinated (and of course there are risks to vaccines) and then enjoying the herd immunity that comes with the risk those others took. Unfortunately, in many communities, we're seeing many more cases of whooping cough because so many people are refusing vaccination.

 

That said, I agree that adjusting the booster schedule may be in order. I know they did it a few years ago when they added a booster at age 10 or so.

 

If there was a like button...

[thefragile7393]

Maybe this has been posted already since I'm heading out the door, but here is why

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/6/5/00-0512_article.htm

it does not prevent transmission or infection. Oddly most docs don't seem to know this.

[TXBeth]

Yes, but the point is that years ago, when most everyone was vaccinated, this was much less of an issue because the disease wasn't able to get a foothold into communities. Now, we're seeing that the vaccine isn't perfect (no vaccine is perfect). And what's really sad is that the anti-vaccine people are using this as an excuse to not get vaccinated. The let others take the risk of getting vaccinated (and of course there are risks to vaccines) and then enjoying the herd immunity that comes with the risk those others took. Unfortunately, in many communities, we're seeing many more cases of whooping cough because so many people are refusing vaccination.

 

That said, I agree that adjusting the booster schedule may be in order. I know they did it a few years ago when they added a booster at age 10 or so.

 

This doesn't make any sense at all. The pertussis vaccine doesn't prevent infection or transmission, just symptoms. So people who refuse the pertussis vaccine do not hurt anyone except (maybe) themselves. The vaccine has no influence on the transmission rate for this particular disease.

[justamouse]

Maybe this has been posted already since I'm heading out the door, but here is why

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/6/5/00-0512_article.htm

it does not prevent transmission or infection. Oddly most docs don't seem to know this.

 

Wow, that was amazing. Thanks for the link.

[oraetstudia]

Also, even if you have had pertussis, don't think you have life long immunity. Just as the vaccine wears off, so does immunity from having it.

[EKS]

This doesn't make any sense at all. The pertussis vaccine doesn't prevent infection or transmission, just symptoms. So people who refuse the pertussis vaccine do not hurt anyone except (maybe) themselves. The vaccine has no influence on the transmission rate for this particular disease.

 

And you know this how?

[TranquilMind]

thegardener: Does anyone have experience with vaccinated children catching whooping cough?

 

I've been hearing it for years. They keep adding more doses of DTaP and TdaP to the schedule because it's not working. The logic of this escapes me.

 

At any rate, the couple times in her entire life I have taken my daughter in with any respiratory thing, doc said she had "pertussis" without any tests (but 30 year doc?). And she got an antibiotic. We take them rarely so they work here. She was always fine quickly and never developed the really bad symptoms you hear about.

 

 

I'm taking my 6 year old in to the doctor this afternoon and want to ask him to run tests for whooping cough but I'm afraid he will just brush me off because we are all vaccinated. I've been reading up on the disease and the symptoms in the first couple of weeks are just like any respiratory infection so it is hard to catch, but that is when antibiotic treatment needs to be started for it to be helpful.

 

When in doubt, he ought to give you the antibiotic, unless she happens to be taking one multiple times a year or something. Simple fix. If it is bad enough for you to take her in, it ought to be treated. I think that's how my long time family doc thinks, but he rarely sees us at all.

[TranquilMind]

And we don't actually know how often this happens, because vaccinated children and/or adults are often not tested for pertussis, under the assumption that they are vaccinated, and therefore could not possibly have it. I am NOT saying this is always the case, but it does happen.

 

That's a real danger I had not considered.

[TranquilMind]

After the third dose -- given at age 6 months -- children have 80% to 85% immunity against pertussis. Protection lasts from three to five years.

 

 

 

 

So what...they will want to give it every three years from age 1 to 100? That will be next, no doubt. Lovely.

[TXBeth]

And you know this how?

 

After being given this information by 2 different pediatricians (both of whom were highly pro-vaxing on schedule), I looked it up and found at least 1 or 2 studies that backed it up. I didn't keep them, but a PP posted another one that shows basically the same thing. People who are vaccinated may not develop symptoms of pertussis, but they can still transmit it to others.

[Momof3littles]

After being given this information by 2 different pediatricians (both of whom were highly pro-vaxing on schedule), I looked it up and found at least 1 or 2 studies that backed it up. I didn't keep them, but a PP posted another one that shows basically the same thing. People who are vaccinated may not develop symptoms of pertussis, but they can still transmit it to others.

Yes, you can google asymptomatic reservoirs of disease and pertussis.

 

Also search for subclinical pertussis infection.

 

http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000291

[Penelope]

Maybe subclinical is a better term than asymptomatic.

 

If someone is completely asymptomatic (not coughing at all), how could they transmit the illness? It is transmitted by respiratory secretions.

[Momof3littles]

Maybe subclinical is a better term than asymptomatic.

 

If someone is completely asymptomatic (not coughing at all), how could they transmit the illness? It is transmitted by respiratory secretions.

If they are colonized, they may still sneeze, cough, etc. at other times. They could also have two illnesses simultaneously (have the b. pertussis bacteria but be asymptomatic, and then a 2nd illness that is causing coughing). Or if they are asthmatic and cough, etc. while they are colonized.

 

I think the evidence is that they are less likely to spread it, but fully vaccinated people are still known (and declared by the CDC) to be possible reservoirs for the disease.

 

eta: and the # of vaccinated, symptomatic people who probably have their diagnosis missed is very concerning, because those people are still out and about, working, attending school, etc. and possibly continuing to spread the disease.

 

One more comment:

 

With respect to the latter explanation it is now known that subclinical infections in adolescent and adult populations may play a major role in the persistent circulation of B. pertussis in highly vaccinated populations [3].

 

and

 

Immunity after natural infection and vaccine-induced immunity both wane after some years and reinfection of previously infected or of vaccinated individuals have both been observed [4]. Prior immunization, as well as older age, usually results in a milder clinical presentation of the infection, such that pertussis infections in adults are often not recognized or diagnosed. Nevertheless, asymptomatically infected persons can be a source of new infection and can pose a threat to children who are too young to be vaccinated, and are therefore susceptible to potentially severe pertussis infection [5].

 

from http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000291

Edited May 5, 2012 by Momof3littles

[Momof3littles]

Waning immunity accounts for the difficulty in eliminating pertussis. Infected individuals find sufficient numbers of susceptible individuals around them to keep circulation going. This implies that elimination of pertussis will only be possible if a vaccine can be developed that also confers long-lasting protection against subclinical infections. The continued circulation of B. pertussis through mild and asymptomatic infections provides opportunities for the pathogen to evolve into strains that have increased virulence in unimmunized hosts, and current vaccines may not provide complete protection against such new evolved strains [34].

 

From: http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000291

[dsmama]

My middle DD had pertussis three years ago (and was vax). She coughed for months, poor thing. I took her to the doctor several times. Finally, she was coughing so hard she was throwing up.

 

A neighbor who works as a public health nurse heard our situation and brought over a whooping cough test kit to bring with us to the ped appt the next morning. The ped brushed me off and didn't want to test and thought my neighbor was just scaring me. I finally threatened to go to the ER with the kit if she didn't test.

 

Two days later, ped called and said, yes, it was pertussis. Not only that, she said, my persistence possibly saved my youngest child's life, as he was nine weeks old at the time and had not been vaccinated but was exposed.

 

By the way, the dr never apologized for not believing me. :)

[TranquilMind]

Maybe this has been posted already since I'm heading out the door, but here is why

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/6/5/00-0512_article.htm

it does not prevent transmission or infection. Oddly most docs don't seem to know this.

Yes, the commonly accepted logic is very odd. I've heard this for years and years - everytime someone is known to have just been vaccinated with certain vaccines, others get ill around them.

 

That's how my kids got chicken pox - the real kind, not the vaccine kind. They will have lifelong immunity now, not a few years of it. Everyone of my generation has lifelong immunity, but they are finding it is waning in the elderly community, because they aren't being "re-boostered" by being around kids and then the grandkids who have Chicken pox, reigniting their immune systems.