title: Urticaria, exanthems, and other benign dermatologic reactions to smallpox vaccination in adults.
abstract: A phase 1 smallpox vaccine trial involving 350 adult volunteers was conducted. Of these subjects, 250 were naive to vaccinia virus vaccine (i.e., "vaccinia naive"). Volunteers received a new cell-cultured smallpox vaccine or a live vaccinia virus vaccine. Nine self-limiting rashes (3.6%) were observed in the vaccinia-naive group. None of the vaccinia-experienced patients had a rash. Rashes appeared 6-19 days after vaccination and had 5 different clinical presentations. Five volunteers had urticarial rashes that resolved within 4-15 days, 1 had an exanthem that lasted 20 days, and 1 each presented with folliculitis, contact dermatitis, and erythematous papules found only on the hands and fingers. Volunteers reported pruritus, tingling, and occasional headaches. Relief was obtained with antihistamine and acetaminophen therapy. No volunteer experienced fever or significant discomfort.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0084, USA. RNGREE01@uky.edu
authors.forename: Richard N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Schosser
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Plummer
authors.forename: Sara E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Malissia A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Caldwell
authors.forename: Dana L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Hargis
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Rudy
authors.forename: Martin E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Hopkins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005076:Exanthema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011537:Pruritus / Q000209:etiology; D012900:Smallpox Vaccine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014581:Urticaria / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D012900:Smallpox Vaccine