Occurrence of early adverse events after vaccination against influenza at a Brazilian reference center.
BACKGROUND
Since 1999, the Ministry of Health in Brazil has conducted campaigns of vaccination against influenza targeted towards the elderly, chronically-diseased people and health care workers. The vaccine against influenza is associated with adverse events of minor importance.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the early adverse events related to the vaccine against influenza. CASUISTICS AND METHODS: One hundred and ninety seven elderly individuals and health care workers vaccinated against influenza were included. An inquiry regarding adverse events related to the vaccine was applied seven days after the vaccination.


RESULTS
Local adverse events were reported by 32.5% and systemic effects by 26.4% of the vaccinated subjects. Pain in the region of the injection, headache, myalgia, malaise, and coryza were more frequent in the workers than in the elderly (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the occurrence of fever.


CONCLUSIONS
The belief of part of the population that credits frequent and uncomfortable adverse events to the vaccine was not confirmed. The subjective adverse events were more frequent in the health care workers, which can influence, in a negative way, the disclosure of the benefits of this vaccine due to their role as opinion makers.
Lopes
Marta Heloísa
MH
Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Mascheretti
Melissa
M
Franco
Marilia Miranda
MM
Vasconcelos
Ricardo
R
Gutierrez
Eliana Battaggia
EB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016907:Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014611:Vaccination / Q000009:adverse effects*
D007252:Influenza Vaccines