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Winter 2003  

Smallpox vaccine: Recommended for PWCs?
By Vicki Walker

Many people with CFIDS are wondering whether they should be vaccinated against smallpox when the federal government rolls out its national immunization program over the next year. The answer, as with flu vaccines and similar shots, is not clear-cut.

The smallpox vaccine carries a high risk of side effects. According to the official government Web site www.smallpox.gov, up to 20 percent of people develop headache, fatigue, muscle aches, pain or chills after smallpox vaccination. Anywhere from 14-52 people out of every one million vaccinated for the first time experience potentially life-threatening reactions.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with CFIDS may experience a relapse in their CFS symptoms following smallpox vaccine, similar to relapses following other physical or mental stresses. Many people with CFIDS do not fall into the official categories of people who should not be vaccinated — those who have had skin conditions or weakened immune systems from cancer treatment, organ transplantation or conditions like HIV, adolescents and children, pregnant or breastfeeding women or people who are allergic to the vaccine’s components.

For now, CDC advises people with CFS (and any other chronic illnesses that do not specifically preclude vaccination) to consult with their primary health care providers concerning their personal situation before they are vaccinated.

It is worth noting, however, that vaccination within 3 days of exposure to smallpox will completely prevent or significantly modify smallpox in the vast majority of people. In the event of a smallpox attack, everyone exposed will be vaccinated, regardless of vaccination history.

Vicki Walker is Research and Public Policy Manager for The CFIDS Association of America.