Adverse event reports following yellow fever vaccination.
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.
Lindsey
Nicole P
NP
Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA. nplindsey@cdc.gov
Schroeder
Betsy A
BA
Miller
Elaine R
ER
Braun
M Miles
MM
Hinckley
Alison F
AF
Marano
Nina
N
Slade
Barbara A
BA
Barnett
Elizabeth D
ED
Brunette
Gary W
GW
Horan
Katherine
K
Staples
J Erin
JE
Kozarsky
Phyllis E
PE
Hayes
Edward B
EB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016907:Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems; D000368:Aged; D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011358:Product Surveillance, Postmarketing; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000009:adverse effects; D015004:Yellow Fever / Q000517:prevention & control; D022341:Yellow Fever Vaccine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult
D022341:Yellow Fever Vaccine