Adverse Reactions to Anti-Infective Vaccines: an Emerging Problem in the COVID-19 Era

Vaccines are an essential tool for preventing infectious diseases and reducing associated morbidity and mortality. Vaccination has a significant impact at both individual and community levels, and COVID-19 vaccination programs are a new example of the great value of this public health strategy. However, adverse reactions, especially severe reactions such as anaphylaxis, prevent these programs from progressing properly, thus limiting vaccination uptake in the population.

The frequency of reactions and types of vaccine components, with special attention to COVID-19 vaccines studies, provides information on the magnitude and causes of adverse events. The understanding of mechanisms involved has made it possible to adequately guide diagnosis, especially to COVID-19 vaccine components, such as polyethylene glycol, trometamol, and polysorbate-80.

This review focuses on adverse reactions to vaccines, with emphasis on allergic reactions. A diagnostic pathway is suggested that, on the one hand, enables to take the necessary precautions in persons with a history of allergy to vaccine components or allergic reactions to vaccines and, on the other, supports administration of subsequent doses. The overall objective is to ensure that people with allergy can be vaccinated in the same way as the rest of the population, and that they are offered alternatives where necessary.