“Girl suffering from tetanus, investigated the parents”, but it was not tetanus

Remember the story of a little girl of 7 years who was ill with tetanus? In The Autumn Of 2017, Turin). The little had not been vaccinated and therefore the parents were being investigated for injuries caused. The girl was re-established in a short time, and was discharged after a few weeks (in the meantime he was vaccinated against tetanus). The parents were immediately a process the media fierce – equal to that of the midwife of Macerata dismissed on the trunk for not having done the trivalent vaccine, which had no need – and then criminal proceedings.

But, shot the scene, “The fact does not subsist”. Established by the court. The disease, probably, not had tetanus. And the pm that investigated the mom and the dad of the girl, after having appointed a consultant, reviewed the medical record and implemented the statement of defence built by different doctors (including the Nobel Prize winner Luc Montagnier, the virologist Giulio Tarro, professor Paolo Bellavite, infettivologo Fabio Franchi, the surgeon Giorgio Pellis) churches in the storage last November. The gip has accepted the request a few days ago. Do not go more to the process.

The diagnosis of tetanus has been questioned. Therefore, for the disease that has afflicted the little – probably a laryngitis acute trismus (clenching of jaws) -, not you are responsible.

Not only. The experts are aware that tetanus can also occur in vaccinated people, and with a high level of antibodies, unlike what many believe. However, the protocol provides that, in the case of a wound, there must be the certainty of a successful vaccination (with regular reminders), otherwise you will make it, and to administer the antibodies (immunoglobulins).

As is the case for other diseases (Herpes Zoster, meningitis, whooping cough, mumps, influenza), vaccination, and even the presence of antibodies does not guarantee protection against the disease.

The USA statistics show that approximately 15-20 % of all cases of tetanus occurs in subjects fully vaccinated.

Let’s go back to the fact.

The request for storage of the offence in respect of the parents in turin dates back to November 2018, a year after the incident. Gave the news to news agency Ansa, with a few lines that you will find here. No other newspaper or talk show, reported the epilogue.

A few weeks ago the news that the gip has accepted the storage (which is now effective).

And yet the story intrigued me right from the start.

First for the fact that the girl had not reported any wound, neither deep nor superficial in the months preceding the episode, and then because he “always lived in the city and never in the countryside, in contact with the earth and animals,” reads the statement of defence built by the lawyers , Luigi Isolabella, Angela Quatraro and Nicholas Pietrantoni.

The experts called by the defence were able to demonstrate (so they claimed) that the tetanus there entered at all on the basis of the documents and medical records.

Yes, it was all written.

You can read that the small was considered a “code yellow”, which in the waiting room, still having neck pain and difficulty opening the mouth could still open the jaw (appearance, this last, which is incompatible with a tetanus in the act) and that, “sitting with your legs crossed, and had spent the time drawing”. That he had swollen lymph nodes in the neck, and, “in the early hours of the morning and pain in the upper part of the back”, however, was found “immediately ” alert, responsive, oriented,” he always spoke with the doctors and family members. After the ct scan performed the next day at the entrance to the hospital diagnosis was “Suspected retropharyngeal abscess? Trismus (clenching of jaws)”. To visit ent held at the time of admission, the specialist, not having any suspicion of tetanus, had prescribed anti-inflammatory and cortisone.

However, on the second day of hospitalization, the baby was transferred to the Division of suspected tetanus” where you will be prescribed the macrolide antibiotic that is used to fight infection tetanus; after 4 days, however, the doctors have replaced the antibiotic preferendone one that is suitable to the diseases tonsillari. This change of therapeutic strategy is indicative of the lack of conviction of the medical team in regard to the diagnosis of tetanus.

How is it possible that there is no certainty?

In essence, according to the experts, lacked evidence essential, and the course was not characteristic of tetanus. It reads: “it is Not been researched tetanus toxin in the blood, there was no ongoing infection with the germ toxoid. There was no history of a previous infection. The instrumental exams – electromyography (emg) and laboratory – in addition to the objective examination were not compatible with the tetanus in the act. The surgeon Giorgio Pellis, who has been for long periods in the african hospital, has observed several cases of tetanus”.

However, the initial symptoms have rightly alerted the doctors, but then the painting feared has not developed at all.

In addition, the pain of the child is attenuated progressively with only paracetamol (pain tetanus are unbearable and persistent and does not subside with paracetamol).

“Therefore, the picture drawn by the experts of the defence is such as to sow a significant doubt on the accuracy of the diagnosis of tetanus”. So they concluded the lawyers. And for these reasons, the pm has asked the court for storage.

It was not tetanus, and we are guilty.

Absolved the parents from any accusation. Since, as shown in the statement of defence – there were appropriate reasons of health behind the choice not to submit the girl to so many vaccines together. First of all, the fact that small as the mother, is allergic to some drugs and foods. “The path of the parents, far from being dictated by fashions or beliefs of the ideological, is the result of an extensive and continuous work of documentation on the scientific basis”.

What can we learn from this story.

That most of the times, in medicine, the situations fade in“uncertainty”. That the commitment to hands full – both on the part of doctors and of lawyers – allows, sometimes, to “caress” the truth . At other times, no, you can’t save lives or to unravel the skein, but has value anyway.

That is the job of the media is antithetical to the search for the truth, because, imprisoning intentions, and people labels fierce. The parents of the little they had ended up on the front pages of all the newspapers, pointed out as monsters irresponsible. Someone had arrived to say that the little girl would not have had to receive treatment in a public hospital because it was “not vaccinated”.

Not raised objections, or, if there were, not heard: the cry of justice was able to silence the senses and make you forget the principles of the Constitution.

I wonder if now someone will ask apologize to this mom and this dad.

Original source: http://blog.ilgiornale.it/locati/2019/05/21/bimba-malata-di-tetano-indagati-i-genitori-ma-non-era-tetano/