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Did the flu vaccine ruin another life?
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Vaccines rarely injure or cause disease of the feet
Only two weeks after receiving his influenza vaccine, "Reuben" (not his real name), was struck with what he is convinced is an adverse event to the vaccine (also known as a "vaccine injury") . Reuben began to notice the symptoms when it was painful to walk, noticed excess sweating, a foul smell coming off his skin, and saw his skin coming off in flakes. Numerous treatments with all sorts of home remedies were unable to help. Members of his family and friends began shunning him for his condition.
"I'm sure it was the flu shot," Reuben said. "What else could it be? I didn't take any medication, eat anything abnormal. In fact, the only thing I did different right before I got this was start a gym membership... You know... To be more healthy. I'd get up early, go work out, take a shower there and head to work. Life was good. And now this? I can't even go to the gym because of this. Everyone stares at me as if I'm a leper." Reuben took off his shoes to show his condition. The skin on his feet was flaking, oozing pus and blood. The odor was very foul. "I keep asking my doctor if he's going to report it to the CDC," Reuben says with frustration. "He says it wasn't the flu shot. I just don't believe him. Have you seen the crap they put in those things?" Reuben sighs, takes a breath, and says, "Maybe Jenny McCarthy will come help me like she helped that girl in Virginia?"
Athlete's foot is a fungal infection of the skin of the feet. The fungus, Tinea pedis, thrives in warm, moist, dark environments. Feet that are covered up in shoes all day, without socks or other methods of absorbing feet sweat, are the perfect environment for T. pedis. In most cases, the condition resolves once the environmental conditions of the foot change through drying the shoes, wearing more absorbent socks, or applying foot powder. Over-the-counter and prescription medications are best to treat the condition fast and without side effects. In some people, such as those who are immune-compromised, the infection may spread beyond the feet. People should contact their health care provider if they notice that the infection has spread beyond the feet or does not get better after attempting to remedy the environment or applying medication.
Tinea pedis is acquired through contact with contaminated surfaces or sharing socks or shoes. Locker room and public shower floors are main sources of athlete's foot infections since they are always moist, and many people with the condition may walk on them. To avoid acquiring athlete's foot, keep your feet dry, use sandals or shoes on locker room or public shower floors, and use well-ventilated shoes. If you have certain conditions like heart disease or diabetes, pay special attention to any irritation of the feet or extremities as these may be a sign of poor circulation rather than an infection.
There have been no documented cases of athlete's foot associated with the flu vaccine. What Reuben exhibits is a clear case of "recall bias", where the correlation of the vaccine followed by an event like the foot infection is interpreted as being related. There is a principle in epidemiology and biostatistics which states that "correlation does not mean causation".
Such a principle, however, is abandoned by certain groups where anything and everything that happens after an immunization is directly associated with the immunization no matter how biologically, statistically, or realistically impossible it is. If you feel that you have been harmed by a vaccine, please seek advice from your health care provider first and foremost. They have the training and knowledge that will never be replaced by celebrities, blogs, or any other anecdotal information.
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