Abstract | BACKGROUND: Within the first 3 years of life, the brain develops rapidly. Its development is characterized by critical developmental periods for speech, vision, hearing, language, balance, etc.; and alteration in any of the processes occurring in those critical periods can lead to specific delays in development. AIMS: The present study evaluated the potential toxic effects of organic- mercury exposure from Thimerosal (49.55% mercury by weight) in childhood vaccines and its hypothesized possible relationship with specific delays in development. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A hypothesis testing case-control study was undertaken to evaluate the relationship between exposure to Thimerosal-containing hepatitis B vaccines administered at specific intervals in the first 6 months among cases diagnosed with specific delays in development and controls born between 1991-2000, utilizing data in the Vaccine Safety Datalink database. RESULTS: Cases were significantly more likely than controls to have received increased organic- mercury from Thimerosal-containing hepatitis B vaccine administered in the first, second, and sixth month of life. CONCLUSION: Though routine childhood vaccination may be an important public health tool to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with infectious diseases, the present study supports an association between increasing organic- mercury exposure from Thimerosal-containing childhood vaccines and the subsequent risk of specific delays in development among males and females.
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Authors | David A Geier, Janet K Kern, Brian S Hooker, Paul G King, Lisa K Sykes, Mark R Geier |
Journal | North American journal of medical sciences
(N Am J Med Sci)
Vol. 6
Issue 10
Pg. 519-31
(Oct 2014)
ISSN: 2250-1541 [Print] India |
PMID | 25489565
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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