Everyone
I have got tetannus shot 2 months ago and 1month ago (twice). Three month ago my WBC was 27,000, but today it was 35000. 6 month ago, 24000. During last 3 months WBC was suddenly raised. Is it possibly due to tetannus shot? Do enyone have such experience?
Miee
WBC go up and down between blood tests... follow your absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) to see how it trends over time... for CLL progression.
The tetanus shot may have caused an immune response, what does your doctor think?
~chris
I don't know where you are or what the procedure there is. Is there a reason for you to have had three tetanus shots in such a short period of time? Usually in the U.S. the shot is considered to be good for ten years, though it is often redone if one has an injury. I agree with Chris that the shot could be causing an immune response. I usually have a reaction to tetanus shots.
Pat
Two comments. 1. Some labs make a note on the result that "reactive lymphocytes" were seen -- the implication that these lymphocytes bumped up your overall absolute lymphocyte count (ALC). These extra lymphocytes have been produced by an inflammatory process of some kind. It sounds like the tetanus shot produced inflammation in the process of generating antibodies. 2. Inflammation appears to be anti-apoptosis. Anti-inflammation appears to be pro-apoptosis -- and thus the value in CLL of trying to keep inflammation low.
Definitely ask your physician why the multiple shots. Sometimes an immunologist will "provoke" the immune system toward determining how rapid or slow the body can make antibodies (or not make antibodies). In any case, your current probable inflammation should be brief.
Rozovski U, Keating MJ, Estrov Z.
"Targeting inflammatory pathways in chronic lymphocytic leukemia."
Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2013 Dec;88(3):655-66.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/239...
Tan Y, Watkins AA, Freeman BB, Meyers JA, Rifkin IR, Lerner A.
“Inhibition of type 4 cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase blocks intracellular TLR signaling in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and normal hematopoietic cells.” J Immunol. 2015 Jan 1;194(1):101-12.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/254...
there are hundreds of medical articles on the role of phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors (like the chemical noted above) in reducing inflammation in this or that medical disorder.
Tetanus shots are given 3 times in adults, who have never received the shot previously...
'An adult who's never been immunized against tetanus should complete the initial tetanus series of three tetanus shots. The first two shots are given at least four weeks apart, and the third shot is given six to 12 months after the second shot. After the initial tetanus series, booster shots are recommended every 10 years.'
I just discovered that when I had my 10 year booster in 2011, It was combined with diphtheria and polio - the latter presumably a live vaccine. This was 3 years before I was diagnosed with CLL, but may have had the condition then. Presumably I would have been aware if there had been an adverse effect? I am in the UK.
Hi Maggie,
The usual combination vaccine (in the UK) that contains tetanus is DPT. It stands for Diptheria, Pertussis (for whooping cough NOT polio), and Tetanus. None of them are live vaccines. I had the DPT a few months ago, with no problems.
So, it's possible that DPT is the vacc you had. In which case no problem. But even if you did have a different vacc (with something live in it), as it's been 3 years since you had it, I would imagine that any adverse effect would be well over by now...
Paula
Maggie, this is a P.S. to what I said above... I've just been looking up combination vaccs with Tetanus,and and I see that there IS another combination vacc that DOES include polio, The polio bit is called "IPV" as it is "inactivated polio vaccine". It is NOT live though, unlike the oral form of polio vaccine.
Paula, just seen this. Good to know that it wasn't live anyway. Thanks for all your trouble researching.
It did me good to research those vaccines, Maggie. I learnt something from it, and not just about vaccs... I realised I'd been too quick to assume that because I'd had a certain experience (ie was given a certain vacc), then it would probably be the same for you.. Not so...
Thanks Paula. I had a printout of all my vaccs recently and it clearly says polio, so unless it is a typo, I think I must have been given this combo. I am fairly sure that it is academic for me now.
Do you also have CLL?
I have developed an acute sensitivty to 'foreign proteins' in the form of various vaccines or insect stings. I have twice gone into anaphylactic shock. Once after a couple of wasp stings and once after a dose of anti tetennus vaccine. I now carry an Epipen with me.
It is recorded that CLL patients have a heightened response to these type of proteins. see Essential Haemotology by Hoffbrand and Pettit, page 239. My particular edition was published in 1993 and the whole book is considered to be a bit out of date now, but it seems to be the book from which most of the current gps in the UK (of a certain age) have got their knowledge, which is usually several years behind the present thinking! Hope this gives you the answer you are seeking.
Hi Everyone
As catmad1 pointed out, foreign proteins such as that cause anaphylactic shock such as tetanus toxin, swang toxin, etc. will cause a big immune response. Rituximub which is foreign protein also temporary increase ALC, and sometimes anaphylactic response. In japan, we have only 100 tetanus patients (0.0001%). If tetanus vaccination may cause a big immune response (a marked increase in ALC) in some CLL patients, we exchange an only a small possibility of advantage for an elevation of ALC. On the other hand, pneumonia vaccination is evidently needed, even if ALC may elevate, because a large number of CLL patients are died by pneumonia. Anyway, we should be more careful in vaccinations.
Miee
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