There has recently been a lot of debate in the media about safety of vaccines, particularly relating to the MMR (Measles, Mumps & Rubella) vaccination with unsubstantiated links to Autism and Ashbergers Disease. In addition, the measles vaccine was historically grown on chick embryos, thus running the risk of egg allergen contamination, and consequently recipients could potentially develop anaphylaxis if highly egg allergic. Today the MMR vaccine no longer contains any egg allergen and is absolutely safe to administer to highly egg allergic children.
The influenza and yellow fever vaccines are still cultured on chick egg embryo’s and thus potentially contain egg protein. But the World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests that this is unlikely to be problematic if mildly egg allergic and in those who tolerate egg without anaphylaxis. In severe egg allergy with anaphylaxis, administration of the conventional influenza and yellow fever vaccinations are contraindicated.
Does the same go for the current Swine Flu (H1N1) influenza vaccine? I’m informed that Pandemrix currently being promoted to prevent the second wave of the Swine Flu pandemic is also cultured on chick egg embryos. Fortunately there is an alternative Swine Flu vaccine called Celvapan which is not cultured on egg and therefore safe to give to egg allergic individuals. But the Celvapan vaccine does not contain the immunity enhancing adjuvant Squalene and therefore requires 2 doses 3 weeks apart. Celvapan is also the WHO preferred adjuvant-free Swine flu vaccine to be given during pregnancy.
Annual Flu vaccines are routinely recommended for asthma sufferers as they are generally more prone to viral illnesses, influenza and chest complications. But Asthma sufferers are also a greater risk group for anaphylaxis if concomitantly egg allergic and inadvertently given the egg cultured flu vaccine. If in doubt, 1/10th of the vaccine should be administered under medical supervision as a test dose followed by the 9/10th balance if no reaction occurs within 30 minutes.
