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Encephalitis in a 13-year-old boy following 17D yellow fever vaccine

B D Schoub1, C J Dommann, S Johnson

  • 1National Institute for Virology, Sandringham, South Africa.

The Journal of Infection
|July 1, 1990
PubMed

Insights

A healthy 13-year-old boy developed encephalitis after receiving the yellow fever vaccine. This is the first reported case in a child over 3 years old, highlighting potential risks beyond recommended vaccination ages.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Immunology
  • Vaccinology

Background:

  • Yellow fever vaccine is a live-attenuated virus vaccine.
  • Routine immunisation is contraindicated in children under 9 months of age due to potential risks.
  • Encephalitis is a rare but serious adverse event associated with live-attenuated vaccines.

Observation:

  • A healthy 13-year-old boy presented with encephalitis.
  • The patient had recently received the yellow fever vaccine.
  • This is the first reported case of encephalitis following yellow fever vaccination in a child over 3 years of age.

Findings:

  • The case represents a rare neuroinvasive adverse event following yellow fever vaccination.
  • The patient's age is significantly older than previously reported cases of vaccine-associated encephalitis.
  • This finding expands the known age range for potential vaccine-related neurological complications.

Implications:

  • Clinicians should be aware of the potential for encephalitis in older children receiving the yellow fever vaccine.
  • Further investigation into the immunological mechanisms underlying vaccine-associated encephalitis in older individuals may be warranted.
  • This case may inform future recommendations regarding the yellow fever vaccine's age indications and risk-benefit assessments.

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