Vaccine reaction

Alternative names

Vaccine injury

Definition

A vaccine reaction is any injury or condition that occurs as a result of a vaccination to protect against disease. Serious reactions to vaccines are exceedingly rare, and vaccination carries far less risk than contracting the disease it prevents.

Symptoms

NORMAL REACTION TO DTaP IMMUNIZATION

• Mild fever
  
• Irritability
  
• Localized tenderness and swelling at site of injection
  

ABNORMAL REACTION TO DTaP IMMUNIZATION

• Unrelieved crying
  
• High-pitched cry
  
• Unusual shock-like syndrome
  o Unresponsiveness
  o Hypotonia (limp/decreased tone)
  
• Marked increase in sleeping time
  
• Persistent high fever (104 degrees Fahrenheit or greater)
  
• Seizure or convulsion
  

NORMAL REACTION TO MMR

• Fever up to 103 degrees about 7-10 days after vaccine administration
  
• Mild measles rash (reaction to measles vaccine)
  
• Transient joint pains (reaction to rubella vaccine)
  

REACTIONS INCORRECTLY ATRIBUTED TO MMR

Several anti-vaccine groups have attributed the rise of autism in the United States to use of the MMR. This has been shown to be untrue by rigorous scientific study.

ABNORMAL REACTION TO POLIO VACCINE

Anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock

NORMAL REACTION TO PREVNAR (PNEUMOCOCCAL VACCINE)

Fever

Signs and tests

Testing is usually unnecessary.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the type of symptom observed following immunization. Fever is normally treated with acetaminophen and cool sponge baths. Children with seizures must be seen by a health care provider promptly. Children who develop encephalitis will be hospitalized.