Anaphylaxis after vaccination for cats in Japan

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Immunology
• Animal Health

Background:

• Vaccination is crucial for feline health, but severe adverse reactions can occur.
• Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that can be triggered by vaccines.
• Bovine serum albumin (BSA) has been detected in commercial feline vaccines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the incidence and outcomes of severe adverse reactions in cats following vaccination.
• To investigate the potential role of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in vaccine-associated anaphylaxis.
• To provide data to help veterinarians manage and prevent vaccine-associated anaphylaxis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 316 feline vaccination adverse event reports submitted to MAFF, Japan (April 2004 - March 2019).
• Examination of reported clinical signs, including anaphylaxis.
• Detection of bovine serum albumin (BSA) levels in commercial feline vaccines.

Main Results:

• Out of 316 cases, 130 (41%) experienced anaphylaxis.
• Of the 130 anaphylaxis cases, 99 (76%) were fatal.
• High levels of BSA were detected in commercially available feline vaccines, potentially originating from fetal calf serum.

Conclusions:

• Vaccine-associated anaphylaxis is a serious and often fatal adverse event in cats.
• Veterinarians must be prepared to manage anaphylaxis following vaccination.
• The presence of BSA in feline vaccines may be a contributing factor to anaphylaxis, warranting further investigation.