Milford chronicle., 1959-01-02
ImmunizatiOn Schedules
Listed For Adults

Immunization schedules for ad-
ults were outlined in the current
(Dec. 27) Journal of the American
Medical Association.
Answering a query from Michi-
gan physician, one of the 900 ply
sician consultants TO the Journal
said. the "optimum intervals" for
adult immunization, assuming that
an adequate initial immunization
series has been given, are as fol-
lows:
Smallpox Vaccination is need
ed every three years.
-Diphtheria. Immunization is
not recommended for adults ex-
cept in cases where the person
shows 70 immunity after exposure
to SPECIAL risks.
-Tetanus. A booster dose should
be given at the time of each injury
where the danger of tetanus exists,
with reinjection in the absence OF
an injury at intervals of no longer
than five years.
Typhoid. Reinforcing injections
are necessary every three years.
Influenza. Injections should be
given every year to risk cases"
such as old or chronically i'll per-
sons.
-Poliomyelitis. Not enough time
has elapsed yet to learn about the
duration of protection conferred by
the Salk vaccine, but a fourth dose,
given not earlier than one year
after the third dose, could be ad-
ministered to individuals exposed
TO special risks.
The consultant noted that these
are general guiding schedules
which vary according to circum-
stances. For instance, for persons
travelling to areas where smallpox
is prevalent, revaccination at in
tervals as short as six months may
be desirable. The same is true for
persons living in areas where ty-
phoid is common. They should get
booster dose every year.
A new and potentially serious
complication of mumps in adults
was reported this week by two
University of Minnesota physicians.
1t is thrombopenic purpura, skin
hemOrrhages resulting from a dis
turbance in the clotting mechanism
of the blood. The disturbance oc-
ours because of shortage of a GER
tain type of blood cell.
Drs. Charles P. Kolars and Wes-
ley w. Sphinx, Minneapolis, said
the condition must be added as a
complication" of mumps because
of the potential danger of the
blood cell shortage becoming
chronic.
The other possible complications
of mumps in adult life are infiam-
nation of the testis, the ovary, the
brain and spinal cord membranes,
and the pancreas. These "can be
painful and serious, the doctors
said in the current (Dec. 27) Jour
nal OF the American. Medical Asso-
citation.
Thrombopenic purpura is occa-
sionally observed in patients with
other infectious diseases, but the
two doctors could find no reports
in the medical literature of it oc-
curing in mumps. The fact that
they saw three cases in adults
"over a relatively brief period"
suggests that it may occur more
frequently in mumps than is real
lied, they said.
The cause of the complication is
not known. 1t may result, they
said, from invasion of the tissues
by virus or from some type of ac-
quired hypersensitiyity.
Treatment with cortisone and
prednisone, which have been found
to control the other complications
of mumps, controlled the bleeding
tendency in the three patients and
also corrected the blood cell def
cheney in one.
In conclusion, the doctors sug-
gested that mumps should be con-
sidered as possible causative fac
tor when patients present cases of
thrombopenic purpura for which
there appears to be no specific
cause.