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Safe administration of the measles vaccine to children allergic to eggs
J M James1, A W Burks, P K Roberson
1Department of Pediatrics, Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute, Little Rock, USA.
Insights
The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe for children with egg allergies. This study found no adverse reactions in children with egg allergies after receiving the MMR vaccine.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
- Vaccinology
- Public Health
Background:
- The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is grown in chick-embryo fibroblasts, raising concerns about its safety in egg-allergic individuals.
- Potential anaphylaxis risk has historically limited MMR vaccine administration in children with egg allergies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety of administering the combined measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine to children with confirmed egg allergies.
- To assess the incidence of adverse reactions following MMR vaccination in this specific pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- Fifty-four children with confirmed egg allergies underwent allergy confirmation via skin tests and food-challenge tests.
- Some participants also received skin testing with the MMR vaccine.
- All children received a single subcutaneous dose of the MMR vaccine, and were monitored for adverse reactions.
Main Results:
- All enrolled children had confirmed egg allergies, with varying degrees of hypersensitivity.
- Out of 17 children tested with the MMR vaccine, 3 showed positive skin test results.
- None of the 54 children experienced immediate or delayed adverse reactions post-MMR vaccination.
Conclusions:
- The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine can be safely administered to children with egg allergies.
- Even children with severe egg hypersensitivity tolerated the MMR vaccine without adverse events.
Background:
The safety of administering the combined measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine to patients who are allergic to eggs has been debated for decades because of concern about potential anaphylaxis, since the live attenuated virus used in the vaccine is grown in cultured chick-embryo fibroblasts.
Methods:
We recruited 54 children (mean age, 18.5 months) who had not previously been vaccinated and were allergic to eggs. The children's histories of allergy were confirmed with skin tests and double-blind, placebo-controlled food-challenge tests; some children also underwent skin testing with the MMR vaccine. We then routinely administered the vaccine to the children in one subcutaneous (0.5-ml) dose.
Results:
All 54 children had positive results on skin testing with egg. Allergy to eggs was confirmed in 26 of the children by convincing histories of anaphylaxis after the ingestion of eggs, in 22 children by food-challenge tests, and in 6 patients by convincing histories of recent allergic reactions occurring after the ingestion of eggs. Of the 17 children who underwent skin testing with the MMR vaccine, 3 had positive results. All 54 children received the MMR vaccine as a single subcutaneous injection; none had an immediate or delayed adverse reaction.
Conclusions:
The MMR vaccine can be safely administered in a single dose to children with allergy to eggs, even those with severe hypersensitivity.