adverse reactions

Last edited 04/2019

Adverse Reactions to Polio-containing vaccine

Confirmed anaphylaxis occurs extremely rarely. Data from the UK, Canada and the US point to rates of 0.65 to 3 anaphylaxis events per million doses of vaccine given (1)

severe or mild systemic or local reaction within 72 hours of receiving a preceding vaccine. Immunisation with IPV-containing vaccine should continue following a history of (1):

• fever, irrespective of its severity
• hypotonic-hyporesponsive episodes (HHE)
• persistent crying or screaming for more than three hours
• severe local reaction, irrespective of extent

A previous version of the Green Book noted (2):

• pain, swelling or redness at the injection site are common and may occur more frequently following subsequent doses
• a small, painless nodule may form at the injection site; this usually disappears and is of no consequence
• incidence of local reactions is lower with tetanus vaccines combined with acellular pertussis vaccines, than with whole-cell pertussis vaccines and similar to that after DT vaccine

Reference:

1. Immunisation Against Infectious Disease - "The Green Book".Chapter 26 Poliomyelitis (April 2019).
2. Immunisation Against Infectious Disease - "The Green Book".Chapter 26 Poliomyelitis (August 2006).