Meningococcal vaccine--do some children experience side effects?

In order to stop an outbreak of group A meningococcal meningitis, 130,000 Auckland children were immunised. During the month following vaccination there were 546 reports of unusual clinical events reported by parents and practitioners, together with 40 specialist paediatric assessments of children presenting with neurological symptoms. In 25 of these latter there was complete agreement between the history as presented by parents in the initial telephone report and the paediatrician's subsequent summarised history. Of the 546 reports, 217 either had too little detail for an assessment or the symptoms were clearly attributable to other causes. Of the remaining reports, there were 152 cases of fever with or without other symptoms; 85 were of rash and local reactions within 24h of vaccination; 63 reports were of headache, stiff neck and myalgia within 48h of vaccination. There were 92 reports of apparent peripheral nerve involvement, including 80 reports of unexplained weakness and 57 reports of paraesthesia or dysaesthesia. Both motor and sensory symptoms occurred in some children; none were permanent. The effects of adverse publicity during the campaign on the genesis of some symptoms is acknowledged, but the possibility that short term neurological symptoms occur after vaccination seems likely and has not been previously reported.