Scientists at the world-renowned Stanford University School of Medicine have confirmed that a measles vaccine caused a previously healthy baby to develop a fatal case of leukemia.
The team of researchers, led by Dr. Christina Costales, revealed that the infant received dose 1 of Merck’s MMR ProQuad vaccine.
The vaccine was administered during the baby girl’s 1-year well-child visit.
Just a few days later, the child was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.
Tragically, the baby’s condition deteriorated so aggressively that she did not survive.
The study’s paper was published in the PubMed journal.
In the “Abstract” section of the study’s paper, the researchers write:
“We report a fatal case of vaccine-associated measles encephalitis in an immunocompromised child in California, USA.
“The infection was confirmed by whole-genome RNA sequencing of the measles virus from brain tissue.
“We observed biased matrix-gene hypermutation consistent with persistent measles virus central nervous system infection.”
Explaining the baby’s reaction to the vaccine, the researchers write:
“A previously healthy infant received dose 1 of the MMR ProQuad vaccine (Merck) at her 1-year well-child visit.
“Over the following week, the patient experienced fevers, and acute myeloid leukemia was diagnosed.
“During induction chemotherapy, a diffuse morbilliform rash developed,” they note.
“A nasopharyngeal swab sample was positive for MV RNA by a laboratory-developed multiplex quantitative reverse transcription PCR (7).
“We detected all 3 genomic targets: the nucleoprotein, hemagglutinin, and large protein genes.”
The measles vaccine is a live attenuated vaccine.
In this case, the vaccine measles virus hypermutated to a fatal strain that invaded the brain and killed the child.
If the child was unvaccinated, the AML would have been treated in the usual fashion, with a good chance at survival.
According to the American Cancer Society and other sources, the 5-year survival rate for children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) diagnosed before age 2 is around 60-70%.
However, some subtypes have higher survival rates.
The researchers revealed that four months after the baby’s measles vaccine and her initial acute myeloid leukemia diagnosis, the patient received a paternal haploidentical stem cell transplant.
One month after the transplant, she experienced an altered mental status.
Magnetic resonance imaging revealed abnormal signals, and positron emission tomography showed hyperperfusion involving the insula and thalamus.
The patient experienced respiratory decompensation of suspected neurologic origin associated with brain lesion progression involving the right mesial temporal lobe, which was biopsied.
Despite treatment with intravenous ribavirin, intrathecal interferon-α, and inosine pranobex, the patient experienced persistent dysautonomia, respiratory failure, and myoclonus.
Without conceivable neurologic recovery, she was extubated and died shortly thereafter.
The family declined an autopsy.
In a statement about the study’s findings, American cardiologist Dr. Peter McCullough said:
Very rare deaths with measles must be weighed with equally rare cases of vaccine deaths.
“It is exceeding difficult for the human mind to factor in any event occurring less than one percent of the time.
“As a result, parents and doctors should have a completely free choice on the issue of vaccination with no pressure, coercion, or threat of reprisal for whatever decision is made.”
