Polio Outbreak Occurs Among Amish Families In Minnesota

[struggle4progress]

By David Brown
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 14, 2005; Page A03

The first outbreak of polio in the United States in 26 years occurred earlier this fall in an Amish community in central Minnesota, state and federal health officials reported yesterday.

Four children have been infected with the virus, although none has become paralyzed. The Amish typically decline to vaccinate their children. The last large outbreak of polio occurred in numerous Amish communities in several states in 1979.

The outbreak poses little threat to children outside the Amish community. About 98 percent of Minnesota's children are vaccinated against polio, said Harry Hull, the state epidemiologist.

The outbreak was discovered by chance on Sept. 29 after the first child -- a 7-month-old infant with a severe immune deficiency disease -- was tested for another problem in August. Yesterday's announcement reveals the microbe is circulating among healthy children in the isolated community, which has about 200 people in 24 families. <snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/13/AR2005101301733.html

[rodeodance]

1. see this DU thread from LBN

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1848767&mesg_id=1851202

[struggle4progress]

3. Thanks! I overlooked that thread. eom

[BrklynLiberal]

2. Since they never vaccinate their children, I wonder if there has ever

been any studies done on the autism rate among the Amish..compared to the population that does vaccinate. They are exposed to much of the same pollutin factors, the only major difference would be the vaccinations.