[Meningococcal serogroup C vaccine: a pharmacovigilance point of view].
BACKGROUND
In October 2002, the Midi-Pyrenees centre of pharmacovigilance (Southwest of France) was in charge of an extensive pharmacovigilance follow-up of a campaign of meningococcal serogroup C vaccination performed in the Hautes-Pyrénées area.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence, nature and seriousness of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) occurring during the 15 days after vaccination.


METHODS
'Immediate' and 'late' ADRs were recorded.


RESULTS
Local immediate ADRs were mainly nonserious local or inflammatory responses with a favourable evolution. General immediate ADRs occurred in 198 subjects and were principally neurological in nature (54%, mainly headache). Moreover, 1529 subjects suffered from general late ADRs (i.e. general health status or neurological [headache] ADRs [41%]). The incidence of ADRs leading to hospitalisation or medical consultation was defined as 'very rare' (0.1% led to consultation and 0.03% to hospitalisation).


CONCLUSIONS
These results underline that most of the ADRs occurring during the 15 days after meningococcal serogroup C vaccination were benign. This study shows that the methods used in France for pharmacovigilance studies of drugs can also be used for vaccines, especially for an intensive and prospective survey. Further pharmacoepidemiological studies could be used after the pharmacovigilance survey to investigate the benefit/risk ratio in large populations.
Bagheri
Haleh
H
Service de Pharmacologie Clinique du CHU de Toulouse, Centre Midi-Pyrénées de Pharmacovigilance, de Pharmacoépidémiologie et d'Informations sur le Médicament, Faculté de Médecine de Toulouse, France. bagheri@cict.fr
Gony
Mireille
M
Montastruc
Jean-Louis
JL
D003625:Data Collection; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011358:Product Surveillance, Postmarketing; D018570:Risk Assessment
D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines