Complications after vaccinations are the subject of many discussions, which often raise concerns among patients. Considerations about vaccine complications should be based on reliable information, supported by reliable scientific data. What is the real incidence of vaccine complications? Which facts about vaccine complications are true? How is vaccination complied with?

Vaccination complicationsare collectively referred to asNOP - Adverse Vaccination . Protective vaccinations are one of the greatest achievements of modern medicine. Like any medical intervention, vaccinations have a certain risk of complications. However, the risk of significant complications after vaccinations is many times lower than the risk of serious consequences of diseases that can be prevented by vaccinations.

Complications after vaccination - causes

Post-vaccination complications may be local or generalized . The vast majority of post-vaccination complications are local reactions of low intensity and self-limiting.

According to the general definition, Vaccine Adverse Reaction is any he alth disorder that occurs within 4 weeks of vaccination. What can complications after vaccination arise?

First group of complications

Some of them arethe result of the vaccine and the body's reaction to its components . The main role of vaccination is to stimulate the human immune system, which may be associated with the appearance of certain symptoms:

  • fever,
  • flu-like symptoms,
  • inflammatory infiltrate at the injection site.

Second group of complications

The second group of complications results from an abnormality in the vaccination process . Each vaccine is a medicinal product and it is subjected to stringent pre-approval controls.

Like any drug, vaccines require transport and storage in appropriate conditions, have a specific route of administration, and contraindications to their use.

Vaccination complications may be due to:

  • improper administration of the vaccine (most often - too deep),
  • incorrectly stored preparation
  • or vaccinating a person with contraindications to the use of a specific vaccine.

Third group of complications

The third group of post-vaccination complications aredisease states that occur after vaccination but are not due to the vaccination . It is worth remembering that the temporal relationship of vaccination with a specific complication does not necessarily indicate a causal relationship between them.

Some post-vaccination complications are a result of the patient's pre-existing medical condition. For example, vaccination may be performed during the incubation ("hatching") period of a viral infection for which symptoms do not appear until some time after administration of the vaccine. Despite the temporal relationship, he alth problems in such cases are not caused by a vaccination.

Complications after vaccination - types

Complications following vaccination may vary. The extent of complications may be local or general, and their severity - mild, moderate or severe.

A very important aspect of complications after vaccination is their frequency:

  • complicationsvery commonoccurin more than 1 in 10 patients receiving the vaccine,
  • complicationscommonoccurin more than 1 in 100 patients ,
  • complicationsmoderately frequent-more than 1 in 1000 ,
  • complicationsrare-more than 1 in 10,000people vaccinated with the preparation

It is worth emphasizing that serious complications of vaccinations, which may cause permanent damage to he alth, are extremely rare.

According to statistical data,adverse vaccination reactions occur in Poland on average 1 time per 10,000 vaccinations . Thus, the risk of their occurrence is approx. 0.01%. The risk of adverse effects of vaccination is therefore much lower than the risk of severe complications from infectious diseases that are prevented by vaccination.

Local complications

The type and frequency of complications after vaccination depend on the type and composition of the vaccine. The most common post-vaccination complication, which can affect all injected vaccines, is local reactions around the injection site.

Pain, swelling and redness result from both local tissue damage and the "arrival" of immune cells to the injection site. Local inflammation develops, which indicates the development of the body's immune response to the administered vaccine.

Increased local reactions after vaccination occur most often in the case of the so-called live vaccines. With anti-tuberculosis vaccine (BCG), more severe local reactions (injection site abscess, local lymphadenopathy) may occur.

It should be emphasized, however, that the vast majority of post-vaccination skin reactions are self-limiting and do not require any treatment.

Generalized complications

Although complications following vaccination are most often local, systemic reactions may also occur with some vaccines. The most common symptom in this group is fever, which is an expression of the stimulation of the immune system.

Fever may be accompanied by flu-like symptoms:

  • muscle aches,
  • general weakness of the body,
  • headache,
  • as well as diarrhea.

Young children develop irritability, tearfulness and anxiety. Most of these reactions resolve on their own within a few days.

If they occur, take care of rest and adequate hydration. If the symptoms are severe, painkillers and antipyretics can be used.

Allergic complications

A relatively common form of post-vaccination complications are allergic reactions. They are caused by an overreaction of the immune system to the components of the vaccine. The vast majority of allergic reactions following vaccination are skin-related and present with hives or an itchy rash.

The most serious form of allergic response following vaccination is called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a form of an allergic reaction that affects many organs of the body (skin, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and circulatory system).

Anaphylaxis is a serious complication after vaccination, but its incidence is very low. Statistically,anaphylaxis occurs in 1 in a million vaccinated patients .

It is also worth adding that each vaccination takes place under conditions of adequate protection - drugs to treat anaphylaxis are available at every vaccination point.

Other complications

Rare vaccination complications may include:

  • nervous system
    • convulsions,
    • facial nerve palsy,
    • meningitis,
    • Guillain-Barry syndrome,
  • joints
    • inflammation
  • orbone marrow
    • thrombocytopenia.

Correct qualification forvaccinations can significantly reduce the risk of such complications.

It is also worth noting that numerous scientific studies on vaccine safety have not shown an increased risk of autism, neurodevelopmental disorders or autoimmune diseases in connection with vaccination.

Complications after vaccination - prophylaxis and control

Awareness and education about vaccine complications is an essential part of vaccination strategies in any society. Patients who decide to undergo vaccination have the right to be fully informed about the benefit-risk balance of a given vaccine.

Knowing about possible post-vaccination complications enables early diagnosis and treatment, and reduces the anxiety associated with the procedure. For fear of post-vaccination complications, it is worth knowing the statistics on their incidence.

This information is available on the WHO website, as well as in the Summary of Product Characteristics - a document published in Polish for each vaccine approved for use in Poland.

Comparing the statistics on the risk of serious vaccine complications in relation to the complications of the diseases against which vaccinations protect, shows a clear advantage in favor of immunization.

For example, the complication of measles in the form of encephalitis and myelitis occurs in 1 in 1,000 patients. The risk of getting measles encephalitis (MMR) is about 1,000 times less (affects 1 in a million people).

How can you reduce the incidence of vaccine complications?

One of the key steps in any vaccination is eligibility for vaccination based on a medical history and physical examination. The analysis of the current state of he alth, chronic diseases, medications taken and reactions to previous vaccinations, as well as the knowledge of the composition of the proposed vaccine allow the patient to qualify for administration of a given preparation.

It is also worth emphasizing that mild post-vaccination complications (fever, flu-like symptoms, local reactions) are not a contraindication for future preventive vaccinations.

If there are serious complications after vaccination (for example, anaphylaxis), an effort should be made to establish which component of the vaccine is likely to be responsible. A thorough analysis of the composition of the vaccines (available, among others, in the SmPC of each vaccine) makes it possible to determine which vaccines should be avoided in the future.

Are vaccines safe?

Vaccines are among the besttested medical products . Their safety is analyzed not only before placing them on the market, but also systematically monitoring their performance after placing them on the market.

The Regulation of the Minister of He alth in force in Poland of December 21, 2010 defines the criteria for the diagnosis and the rules for reporting adverse vaccine reactions.

Each suspicion of an undesirable vaccine reaction should be reported by a doctor to the appropriate bodies of the Sanitary Inspection.

It is also worth knowing that the patients themselves have the right to report adverse vaccine reactions. Via the website of the Risk Monitoring System, adverse effects of the vaccine can be reported to the Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices and Biocidal Products.

The benefits of preventive vaccinations are undeniable. Thanks to them, it was possible to eliminate most of the infectious diseases, which in the 20th century were the most common cause of death in Poland. Although vaccination carries the risk of complications, they are much lower than the positive effects of vaccination in the entire population.

Information on vaccine complications should be obtained from reliable sources, taking into account data on their frequency. Constant monitoring of the occurrence of side effects contributes to the regular improvement of vaccination safety.

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Category:

Infectious diseases