MMR vaccination of children with egg allergy is safe.

INTRODUCTION

Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination is part of the Danish Childhood Vaccination Programme. It is known that children may react with anaphylaxis to MMR vaccines containing traces of egg protein. In Denmark, national clinical guidelines recommend that children with egg allergy be referred to vaccination at a paediatric ward despite changed recommendations in other countries. The purpose of this study was to determine whether children with egg allergy presented with anaphylactic/allergic reactions to MMR vaccination and to discuss whether Danish recommendations should be upheld.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Data collected through evaluation of the histories of children referred to the Paediatric Ward at Hillerød Hospital from 01.01.2008 to 28.02.2011 and coded according to action diagnosis and/or supplementary diagnosis in International Classification of Diseases 10 (ICD-10) for food allergy, oedema angioneurotica and tentative diagnosis as well as the procedure code for oral food challenge. A total of 32 patients were included, all were both sensitized to egg and had been MMR vaccinated.

RESULTS

The 32 patients had received a total of 41 doses of MMR vaccine. None of them had shown anaphylactic/allergic reactions to the MMR vaccines. 23% of the vaccines were given with considerable delay.

CONCLUSION

Based on our study, we conclude that the Priorix MMR vaccine may be administered just as safely to children diagnosed with egg allergy as to other children. We found no evidence in support of the current Danish recommendations. We therefore recommend that the Statens Serum Institut, the Danish Paediatric Society and/or the Danish Health and Medicines Authority reconsider these recommendations.

FUNDING: not relevant

TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant.