Adverse Events Related to Vaccination (VAEs): How to Manage the Further Doses of Immunization and Parents’ Hesitancy

Abstract

This study supports the evidence that after vaccine-related reactions, it is still possible to carry out the immunization protocol.Out of more than 1000 patients per year evaluated for potential vaccine-related risks (patients with chronic/serious diseases and events connected with vaccination), 76 (6%) presented previous vaccine adverse events (VAEs). The decision about whether to continue child vaccination is made evaluating diferent factors: absence of speciic contraindications, parents' counseling, adequate hospital seting, choice of an appropriate and individualized schedule. None of the 76 children vaccinated after VAEs presented further side efects.Our data demonstrate that VAE is not a recurring event. The real risk of a new VAE is mostly associated with the serious allergic reactions (IgE-mediated anaphylaxis) and parents should be aware of this information, so that the widespread fear of VAE recurrence can be contained. Indeed, this type of concerns represents one of the main reasons for vaccination hesitancy, which leads to incomplete vaccination schedules.Conclusions: This chapter encourages clinicians to take advantage of the available VAE assessment algorithms to objectively evaluate real vaccine risk of VAE and provide parents with correct information, considering that VAEs are rare and severe reactions are extremely rare.

Using Population-Based Structures to Actively Monitor AEFIs during a Mass Immunization Campaign—A Case of Measles–Rubella and Polio Vaccines

“…A "vaccine adverse event", also referred to as an "adverse event following immunization" (AEFI), is an adverse health event or health problem that occurs following or during administration of a vaccine. Adverse events are temporally associated events; they might be caused by a vaccine, or they might be coincidental and not related to vaccination [5,6].…”