Adverse event reports following yellow fever vaccination

Abstract

Yellow fever (YF) vaccine has been used for prevention of YF since 1937 with over 500 million doses administered. However, rare reports of severe adverse events following vaccination have raised concerns about the vaccine's safety. We reviewed reports of adverse events following YF vaccination reported to the U.S. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) from 2000 to 2006. We used estimates of age and sex distribution of administered doses obtained from a 2006 survey of authorized vaccine providers to calculate age- and sex-specific reporting rates of all serious adverse events (SAE), anaphylaxis, YF vaccine-associated neurotropic disease, and YF vaccine-associated viscerotropic disease. Reporting rates of SAEs were substantially higher in males and in persons aged > or =60 years. These findings reinforce the generally acceptable safety profile of YF vaccine, but highlight the importance of physician and traveler education regarding the risks and benefits of YF vaccination, particularly for travelers > or =60 years of age. Vaccination should be limited to persons traveling to areas where the risk of YF is expected to exceed the risk of serious adverse events after vaccination, or if not medically contraindicated, where national regulations require proof of vaccination to prevent introduction of YF.

Assessing the Risk of International Spread of Yellow Fever Virus: A Mathematical Analysis of an Urban Outbreak in Asunción, 2008

“…29,35,36 Preventive vaccination may seem a logical control measure, but there are also problems with vaccine supply, cost, and safety. [7][8][9][10][11][12] In future work, we will evaluate the potential impact of both preventive vaccination and reactive interventions, such as local vaccination and vector control, vaccination of travelers, and restriction of travel.…”

“…aegypti control efforts 3 and the use of YFV vaccine. 4 However, problems with vector control program sustainability, 5,6 vaccine supply, [7][8][9] and adverse events associated with vaccination [10][11][12] threaten primary prevention efforts. Recognition of the outbreak in Asunció n was quickly followed by intensive vector control efforts in over 25,000 households and administration of more than 1 million doses of YFV vaccine.…”

Severe pneumococcal pneumonia following Measles- Mumps- Rubella vaccination / Pneumonie pneumococică severă dezvoltată ca urmare a vaccinării Rujeolă-Oreion-Rubeolă

“…The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) has summarized higher rates of severe adverse events only in patients over the age of 60 for the yellow fever vaccine, another live attenuated vaccine (20,21).…”

Understanding the Role of Human Variation in Vaccine Adverse Events: The Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment Network

“…Developed an evidenced-based algorithm for managing individuals with vaccine hypersensitivity reaction following vaccination 2 Developed and evaluated an algorithm for assessing causality in the evaluation of AEFI 5 Evaluated adverse reactions after the fifth dose of DTaP 25 Assessed the role for genetics in the immune response to the varicella vaccine 9 Evaluated adverse events among civilian smallpox vaccine recipients via telephone surveillance 6 Evaluated cases of viscerotropic and neurotropic illness after yellow fever vaccine 26 Determined via case-control study of SV40 and non-Hodgkin lymphoma that past infection with SV40 is not associated with increased risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma 27 Evaluated risk factors for developing apnea after immunization in the NICU 23 Studied immunogenicity and safety of vaccines administered to premature infants 24 Evaluated AEFI after yellow fever vaccine via active surveillance 28 Studied Vaccine Acceptance & Risk Perception 22 Studied alopecia associated with hepatitis B vaccination by using a mouse model 29 Evaluated immunization rates and safety among children with inborn errors of metabolism 30 Evaluated hyperammonemic events are not associated with a 21-d postvaccination window in 90 children with urea cycle disorders 31 GBS indicates Guillain-Barré Syndrome; IRB, institutional review board; SV40, simian virus 40; DTaP, diphtheria-tetanusacellular pertussis.…”