Convulsions following oral polio immunisation.

Since the introduction of oral polio vaccine in 1962, 30 cases of convulsions were registered within 30 days after the immunisation in Hamburg. 29 further cases from the surroundings came also to our attention. The majority of these cases occurred within 8 days after the vaccination (44 cases), afterwards only single cases were recorded. 33 patients were males, 24 females (2 cases sex unknown). The majority of the patients had the postvaccinal convulsions between 7 to 36 months of age, a characteristic period for febrile convulsions. 28 patients showed a course typical for febrile convulsions. In some cases intercurrent infections (pneumonia, otitis media purulenta) could also explain the nerval reactions. In 11 cases encephalopathy or encephalitis (1 case due to mumps) had been diagnoses. 8 patients suffered later from a convulsive disorder. Between 1964 and 1974 165,000 children born in Hamburg, were immunised thrice with OPV. In this period 19 convulsions and 3 permanent convulsive disorders were observed (1 case per 8,600 vaccinees; 1 convulsive disorder per 55,000 vaccinees).