Question Regarding (Test?) Vaccine

Howdy,

With all of the panic going around about the new swine flu outbreak I was reminded of a vaccine I received during my first couple of days at Army basic training. I haven't been able to find out anything about it by searching google or this site, and with all of the seemingly knowledgeable people discussing the swine flu I figured I would see if anyone knows anything about this.

The vaccine had something to do with respiratory diseases, since so many people get sick during basic. You could get it on a volunteer basis, which leads me to believe that likely, it was a test. Being a young dumb kid not wanting to get sick I went for it and got the shot when they gave you shots for everything else. I'm just curious what they put in me, or how I can maybe find out if it was a placebo or not?

I would have gotten it in the first week of November in 2001 at Fort Jackson. I'm not sure if any other details are really necessary, and hopefully I'm posting this in the right place!

It was probably for pneumonia or the flu. Although most folks think of flu as a stomach virus, it's actually a respiratory system virus.

They usually give out flu shots in the fall, just before the season starts (I know, because I get them regularly because of my husband's heart problems.) The timing and the fact that it was a voluntary procedure leads me to think flu is the most likely one.

No, because we got a separate flu shot as well. It was a vaccine specifically for respiratory stuff

EDIT: As an afterthought, it may help to clarify that we got four or five shots all together if I remember correctly.

[edit on 27-4-2009 by gaaah]

reply to post by Byrd


Flu shots aren't voluntary in the military; I know I wasn't given a choice.

Could it have been for Meningitis? I remember when I was considering attending NMSU, the students who were going to stay in the dorms were practically required to get some kind of shot for meningitis, since flu and the flu-like symptoms of meningitis were prevalent among a lot of people living in close quarters. It would be the same for basic training, yes?

Originally posted by Chiiru
Could it have been for Meningitis? I remember when I was considering attending NMSU, the students who were going to stay in the dorms were practically required to get some kind of shot for meningitis, since flu and the flu-like symptoms of meningitis were prevalent among a lot of people living in close quarters. It would be the same for basic training, yes?

No, just to say again, it was specifically for respiratory diseases because so many people get bronchitis and such. I remember a lot of guys ended up getting something that made them cough a lot. Wasn't pneumonia, but you get the idea.

I had to sign a release form and stuff in order to get the shot. It was completely voluntary.

I found a power point presentation that hints at what I'm trying to find!

www.health.mil...

Final edit: Seems like it has to be an adenovirus vaccine, though I can't seem to find any information about the one I got in 2001 since from what I understand there shouldn't have been any manufacturers for it yet.

[edit on 27-4-2009 by gaaah]