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| |  Low-Egg-Containing Influenza Vaccine a Safe Alternative for Egg-Allergic Children: Presented at AAAAI By Carole VanSickle Ellis NEW ORLEANS -- March 2, 2010 -- A low-egg-containing influenza vaccine (Fluarix) may be the answer for parents and paediatricians who believe vaccination is important but fear the side effects of high-egg vaccines in children with egg allergies, according to a presentation here at the 2010 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting. Many flu vaccines contain egg proteins, which can cause serious health complications and even fatalities if they are administered to individuals, particularly children, with egg allergies. Erin Steenburgh-Thanik, MD, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, and colleagues conducted a retrospective chart review of children receiving Fluarix in the 2007-2009 flu seasons, which was presented here on February 28. Protocols are in place for administering egg-containing vaccines to egg-allergic individuals, but administration of the vaccine has been the focus. The egg protein content of vaccines has not only not been readily known, but may even vary between lots. Fluarix, contains <=1 mcg of ovalbumin per 0.5 mL. The vaccine is approved in the United States for individuals aged older than 18 years and in Europe the vaccine is already approved for children aged older than 6 months. With informed consent, and subsequent to additional testing, the team administered 73 doses of Fluarix during the 2007-2008 flu season and 141 in 2008-2009. After a skin-prick test with Fluarix, patients were given the vaccine in 2 doses, the first being one-tenth and the second being nine-tenths of a complete dose. Only patients who had a negative response to the test received the Fluarix vaccine. Patients’ egg allergies and reactions, as noted before the vaccine, ranged from mild to systemic, so the gamut of potential allergy severity was covered, said Dr. Steenburgh-Thanik. Patients who underwent the 2-dose protocol had no serious allergic reactions, but a few developed mild allergic symptoms. No serious adverse reactions or anaphylactic episodes occurred in conjunction with or after Fluarix immunisations. Most patients tolerated the inoculation without any adverse symptoms at all. Of the entire lot, 7 episodes of urticaria occurred that were limited to the injection site, and 5 urticaria episodes were classified as distant. Only 1 child developed periorbital erythema. The team concluded that, although Fluarix does contain trace elements of egg protein, it should be further considered as a safe alternative to other seasonal influenza vaccines for egg-allergic patients. [Presentation title: Administration of a Low Egg-Containing Influenza Vaccine (Fluarix) in an Egg-Allergic Pediatric Population. Abstract 98]
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