I had a horrible case of mumps some 37 years ago (before there was a vaccination). A couple of years prior to having mumps, I had a nasty bout of chicken pox (mom says my outbreak was enough for 4 kids).does anyone know of a link between these viruses and AI disease?
The only connection between chicken pox and another disease that I know about would be shingles.
Not sure about mumps.
Pooh
I knew I had issues when I was an infant with low IgG. I decided to go see an immunologist to see if he could give me any new word. Anyone can run this bloodwork, though. I found that my IgM was low.. and there's no treatment for it. That is what makes antibodies to stuff. If you are low, then there's a good chance that all the antibody testing that is done will be a false negative..
This also means, however, that you will probably keep getting the same viruses back, as you're missing the antibodies. Even if you've had shots, doesn't mean you're immune. When I started nursing school, they did some blood work and found I wasn't protected from them (like measles, mumps, etc)
Good luck
Hi Bonusmom,
That's an interesting connection, and I often wonder about that too. I never had any childhood disease (other than whooping cough, the common cold's and flu's), and I was exposed to everything at one time or another growing up. I do have Hashimoto's and it was confirmed by an biopsy; still negative in my blood work for it. The body is an amazing thing for sure!
Take care -
Patze
This is a really interesting thread. I'm collecting stories of people who had childhood rheumatic fever and then went on to develop SjS, and maybe other AI diseases. It makes sense for there to be a link with adult rheumatic conditions but I haven't found any research yet. Rheumatic fever is pretty rare in the west nowadays, and most people who had it are now in their 70s/80s. I'm 48 and had it when I was 3. If any of you know of anyone with a similar history maybe you could let me know, respecting anonymity of course.
Patze - whooping cough is a tough one for your body to deal with, even if you didn't have many other childhood illnesses. There's so much we still have to learn about AIs and immunities through illness. As you say, the body is certainly an amazing thing!
Chana x
I had measles, mumps and whooping cough as a child. I was not vaccinated. They didn't require back then for children to attend school. My sister had these as well and at the same time. I don't know of any connection to autoimmune. What I do know is that my father and 3 of his brothers had rheumatoid arthritis (they wanted to do a case study on them) my cousin died of lupus at the age of 23 and her sister has rheumatoid arthritis. So, I have a very strong family history.
Anna
My mom had whooping cough and peritonitis from a ruptured appendix at the same time as a child. She's lucky to have survived. Said every time she coughed her stomach hurt. Right now our county is under an alert for whooping cough because several cases have been reported in the area.
My uncle had either rhuematic or scarlett fever as a child that damaged one of his heart valves. He died at age 40 of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
I had chicken pox as a child.
Hi BM,
I was vaccinated but didn't have any of the diseases mentioned.
However, I did get bitten by a tick carrying Lyme disease. Within 2 weeks I was treated with antibiotics. Soon after SS manifested itself. A link or coincidence? Later on I was tested again for Lyme but nothing was found. The Sjogren's remains.
Maria
I never had any of the childhood diseases when I was young, but finally got the chicken pox when I was 30 years old! I was the sickest I have ever been in my life! My mother swears that the Sjogren came from that. No doctor has ever confirmed it, but in my opinion, mothers know best!
As far as rheumatic fever is concerned, my mother had it as a child and it affected her heart valve severely. Over her life, she had two heart operations and did eventually passed away from heart complications last year at the age of 73. Back in the 1950's, the doctors didn't think she would live past 30 years old or ever have children. She had two children and really did way better than anyone hoped. Her father had the exact same rheumatic heart disease and died in the 60's. I always thought it was interesting that I had a positive test for the rheumatoid factor, was eventually was dx with SJS and wondered if that had any thing to do with having a predisposition from my mother and grandfather. But doctor said there is no corelation.
Liz D.
I had the normal childhood illnesses like chicken pox when I was young, but what i wondered, if any virus could cause AI diseases. I ask this because I did not suffer from any AI diseases or symptoms until after I had mono and the human parvol virus. I know with mono and other viruses, they never leave the body, they just lay in a dormant like state. I wonder how effective childhood vaccines are, my son had all his shots, and got chicken pox twice, within a six month period.
Interesting thread, i think viruses can a whole lot more than we think they can.
Collie
Hi :)
I had measles, rubella and chicken pox but I don't think I ever had mumps or whooping cough. Some of my kids got whooping cough and the others didn't and some got mumps and others didn't and i didn't catch them then either. Certainly never had rheumatic fever.
Worst I had was glandular fever (mono) It was nasty.
Sometimes I wonder if the immunisations aren't a problem. My youngest daughter has never felt well since she had her BCG aged about 12. She never recovered her energy levels after it and her tetanus booster needed ER and a week off school because she went into spasms and then reacted badly to an anti-histamine.
Take care - Scottie :)
This is a very interesting thread. My dad had rheumatic fever as a child, and something that his family described as St Vitus Dance. He died (aged 24)after getting flu in a flu epidemic in 1958. Seems he was vulnerable as he had sustained a damaged heart valve from the rheumatic fever. Interestingly, I'm his only child, altho I have 4 half siblings. I'm the only one with rubbish health. My third son is also being investigated for Sjogren',s, but the elder tow have never had any AI conditions.
Kathyx
I had mumps, measles and chicken pox as a kid. I remember being kept alone in a dark room with one of the diseases because it was thought light could hurt your eyes. I was also suspected of having rheumatic fever, but they were never able to establish it as a fact. Man, I remember the mumps to this day 50 years later, they hurt like the dickens. Lucy
What great feedback! Thank you all for your informative and timely responses. I will write this one down for the rheumy appt next wk.