#adjuvants

gettingvetted here.

With standard rabies and feline leukemia vaccines (the two killed vaccines that are available for cats) there is a chance of vaccine site sarcoma. These cancers are extremely aggressive, grow very quickly, and tend to have "octopus tentacles" that reach farther and deeper than the main bulk of the tumor. It is extremely difficult to remove them because you have to remove them with a very wide margin which usually includes taking muscle or other tissue under the mass, and they are very likely to recur. This is why most vets today will vaccinate as far down on the limbs or even the tail as possible, because it is much easier to amputate a limb or tail than to remove such a large and aggressive tumor from between the shoulder blades (the previous favorite location for all vaccine injections).

However, the development of this cancer is a 1 in 10,000 lifetime chance. As a result, it is very hard to study these cancers in a controlled setting, because you would need to keep 10,000 cats for their entire lives, hoping to see one case of cancer. It is hypothesized that the adjuvants (additives/irritants) which are necessary to get the immune system to respond to a killed vaccine (why would the immune system react to something already dead?) are responsible for the cancers. For some reason, cats respond negatively to any kind of inflammation - resorbing their own teeth just because they have a little gingivitis, going into liver failure just because it was a little overworked when they didn't eat for a couple of days, and cancer at the site of certain vaccines. Today there are newer killed vaccines that use fewer adjuvants and different adjuvants than historical vaccines. Obviously since the risk was already extremely low, it is hard to track real-life instances and prevalence of this cancer. But, at this time, there are no recorded instances of vaccine site sarcoma if a cat has only had these modified vaccines during their lifetime.

Regardless of which vaccine is used, in the US it is legally required to have an up-to-date rabies vaccine in most states, and the risk of rabies (and feline leukemia in outdoor cats) is higher than the risk of cancer. Vaccine site sarcomas should not be a reason not to vaccinate, especially since we have safer alternative vaccines available.

Vaccines and Autoimmunity 1st Edition by Nancy Agmon-Levin (Editor), Lucija Tomljenovic (Editor), Yehuda Shoenfeld (Editor)

BORN FOR THIS

Al Adjuvant Causes Brain Inflammation and Behavioral Abnormalities; Low Dose Is More Harmful

A new paper (Crepeaux et al.) by the Gherardi research group in France reports important results on the toxicity and transport of aluminum (Al) adjuvant in mice. This single study is especially valuable because it looked at many outcomes: behavioral effects, immune (microglial) activation in the brain, and Al transport into the brain. The study tested dosages of 200 , 400 and 800 mcg/Kg,  injected intramuscularly (IM). The Al adjuvant used was AlOH (brand name Alhydrogel), the most common vaccine adjuvant in use today. It is used in the tetanus, Hep A, Hep B, HiB, pneumococcal, meningococcal, and anthrax vaccines.

Remarkably, the study  found that the lowest dose (200 mcg/Kg) was the most toxic! For many outcomes, the 400 and 800 mcg/Kg dosages had no observable adverse effects, but the 200 mcg/Kg dose did.

Crepeaux (paper): Non-linear dose-response of aluminium hydroxide adjuvant particles: Selective low dose neurotoxicity

Above: High dose Al adjuvant injection into the muscle causes a granuloma, which traps the Al adjuvant and prevents it from traveling into the brain. Low dose does not form a granuloma. Hence, the low dose is free to travel to the brain, where it causes toxicity. Consequently, the lower dose is more toxic than the higher dose. This mechanism explains the surprising inverted dose-toxicity results of Crepeaux et al. 2016.

Mice in the 200 mcg/Kg group (green) displayed significant behavioral abnormalities in the open field tests. They moved less than control mice (grey), and spent more time in the central area of the field. Such changes are indicative of neurotoxicity. Grip strength change was close to statistical significance. From Crepeaux et al. 2016.

The 200mcg/Kg dosage increased brain aluminum content 50-fold, from 0.02 mcg/gram to 1.00 mcg/gram dry weight. The higher dosages did not increase brain Al levels, presumably because the Al adjuvant was trapped in the granulomas. Levels above 2 mcg/gram are considered by researchers (e.g. Dr Chris Exley) to be of pathological concern. Alzhiemers victims often have Al levels of 3-10mcg/gram aluminum in the brain.These measurements were performed over 6 months after the final injection, which strongly suggests the Al adjuvant remains in the brain for a long time. From Crepeaux et al 2016. (Note: ug/gram = mcg/gram).

HI :FLUSHED: :FLUSHED: :FLUSHED:

Diptheria is caused by a bacteria that invades the lining of the respiratory system. It creates a silvery blockage on the tongue and throat that makes it difficult to breath and slowly suffocates those who are infected, which was why it was referred to as the "strangling angel."

Prior to an efffective vaccine developed by Alexander Thomas Glenny and Gaston Ramon (pictured ot the right), the disease claimed the lives of more than 50% of those who became infected. Even after modern treatments have been adopted today, one of nine persons who are infected by diptheria die.

Vaccine adjuvants and delivery systems have long been used in DNA vaccines to enhance immunogenicity. In this study, we developed a DNA vaccine delivery platform by combining N-2-hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan/carboxymethyl chitosan nanoparticles (N-2-HACC/CMCS NPs) with a genetically engineered M13 phage containing the HA gene of H9N2 AIV (HA-M13). The composite NPs…