Age: 1.5
Sex: M
Vaccine: FLUX, HEP, HIBV
Symptoms: Autism, Drug toxicity, Fungal infection, Hypersensitivity, Respiratory tract infection
Clinical narrative: This report describes mercury poisoning in a male, now 4 year old, who received Hepatitis B  vaccine. It was received as part of litigation proceedings and has not been verified by a physician or other healthcare professional. Medical history, concurrent conditions, and concurrent medications were not provided. The child received injections of hepatitis B vaccine on 2/28/98, 5/1/98, and 9/3/98. He also received diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine absorbed 5/1/98, 7/8/98, 9/3/98, and 6/22/99; Haemophilus influenzae type B conjugate vaccine 5/1/98, 7/2/98, 9/3/98, and 6/22/99; oral poliomyelitis virus vaccine 5/1/98, 7/2/98, and 6/22/99; MMR 3/16/99, and varicella virus vaccine 3/16/99. The vaccine's attorney alleged that the vaccines experienced mercury poisoning due to vaccines administrated "from 02/1998 through at least through at least 06/1999". Time to onset from immunization and treatment were not provided. This report of mercury poising is considered by the manufacturer as medically serious. The following information was obtained from medical records. A mother gave birth to a nine pound male infant who was 21.5 inches in length on 28 February 1998. The mother had a history of asthma since birth. The summer of 1997, she was diagnosed with a "fat pad" on her heart. She claimed that she had no symptoms as a result of the fat pad. The mother was given epidural analgesia with 1% lidocaine during labor and delivery. She delivered a normal infant via vaginal delivery. The mother received oxytocin post-delivery. She was found to be positive for Streptococcus B and was given ampicillin. The infant Apgar scores at one and five minutes were 9/9. The first hepatitis B vaccine was received on 28 February 1998 and was hepatitis B vaccine recombinant (Engerix-B) given intramuscularly.  The child's developement began normally. He sat unassisted at five months of age, crawled at six months of age, walked alone at nine months of age. He spoke his first word at nine months of age and at 12-14 months of age he reported that her son stopped looking at her. At 14 months of age, he began to lose these words. His hearing was tested and found to be normal. When the patient was 18 months of age, the symptoms of autism began. He had poor eye contact, poor speech, and unfocused activity. When the child was approximately 4 years of age, his physician wrote, "Due to persistent neurological aberrations as well as autistic tendencies..., I recommend he forego immunizations for MMR and DPT for the near future. The child was treated with risperidone (Risperdal) and dextroamphetamine sulfate (Dextrostat) and prescribed occupational therapy and speech therapy. On 19February03, occupational therapy was terminated due the child's aggressive behaviour. He was referred to a behavioral specialist. The most recent information received on 6/21/04, indicated that as of 05May04 the child was still undergoing speech therapy. This report of autism and mercury poisoning are considered medically serious (OMIC). Following the reported onset of autism, the pt experienced fungal infection and frequent respiratory infections. He developed an allergy to mold and yeast (onset date of allergies not reported). These were not reported as adverse events due to vaccine administration, but were found during the course of review of the pt's medical records. Therefore, they are not listed as adverse events.   Follow up on 07/12/04 states: "No new information."