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Vaccination and anaphylaxis.
1Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 4404 Nydalen, N-0403 Oslo, Norway. hanne.nokleby@fhi.no
Current Allergy and Asthma Reports
|February 16, 2006
Summary
Severe allergic reactions to vaccines are rare, occurring in less than one per million doses, with no reported deaths. Reactions are typically due to vaccine ingredients, not the antigen itself, and vasovagal responses are often misdiagnosed as anaphylaxis.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Vaccinology
- Public Health
Background:
- Anaphylactic reactions to vaccines are a significant public health concern.
- Understanding the incidence and causes of severe allergic reactions is crucial for vaccine safety monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize the incidence and causes of anaphylactic or severe allergic reactions following vaccination.
- To differentiate between true anaphylaxis and vasovagal reactions post-vaccination.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature and large-scale studies on vaccine adverse events.
- Analysis of reported cases of severe allergic reactions to vaccines.
Main Results:
- The incidence of anaphylaxis post-vaccination is very low, estimated at less than one case per million doses.
- Deaths from vaccine-related anaphylaxis have not been reported in recent studies.
- Common causes include non-antigenic vaccine components like egg proteins or stabilizers.
- Vasovagal reactions are frequent and often misdiagnosed as anaphylaxis.
Conclusions:
- Vaccine-induced anaphylaxis is exceedingly rare, with no associated fatalities in recent data.
- Identifying non-antigenic triggers and distinguishing vasovagal responses are key for safe vaccination practices.
- Accurate diagnosis ensures individuals at risk of infection can still receive necessary immunizations.