Mass smallpox vaccination and cardiac deaths, New York City, 1947.
In April 1947, during a smallpox outbreak in New York City (NYC), more than 6 million people were vaccinated. To determine whether vaccination increased cardiac death, we reviewed NYC death certificates for comparable periods in 1946, 1947, and 1948 (N = 81,529) and calculated adjusted relative death rates for the postvaccination period. No increases in cardiac deaths were observed.
Thorpe
Lorna E
LE
Division of Epidemiology, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, New York 10013, USA. lthorpe@health.nyc.gov
Mostashari
Farzad
F
Karpati
Adam M
AM
Schwartz
Steven P
SP
Manning
Susan E
SE
Marx
Melissa A
MA
Frieden
Thomas R
TR
D000328:Adult; D003644:Death Certificates / Q000266:history*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000266:history* / Q000401:mortality; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000266:history; D032541:Mass Vaccination / Q000266:history*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D012899:Smallpox / Q000517:prevention & control; D012900:Smallpox Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000266:history*
D012900:Smallpox Vaccine