IgE-mediated systemic reactions to gelatin included in the varicella vaccine

doi:10.1016/S0091-6749(97)70108-8

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Volume 99, Issue 2, February 1997, Pages 263-264

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0091-6749(97)70108-8 Get rights and content

Abstract

J Allergy Clin Immunol 1997;99:263-4.

Section snippets

Methods

Physicians and vaccine manufacturers sent serum samples from four children with anaphylactic reactions to varicella vaccination together with clinical reports to the Japan National Institute of Health. As a negative control, serum samples from 50 children (1 to 4 years old; mean age ± SD, 2 years 4 months ± 1 year 1 month) who had no allergic reaction to the varicella vaccine were kindly supplied by Dr. Takao Ozaki of Showa Hospital, Konan, Japan. The live varicella vaccine is derived from

Case reports

Clinical and IgE data for the four children are shown in Table I. In patient 1, the anaphylactic reactions (generalized urticaria and pruritus, vomiting, and airway obstruction with wheezing) were observed within 40 minutes after administration of the varicella vaccination. The patient immediately received the necessary treatment, and the symptoms disappeared several hours later. By the next morning, his condition was normal.

In patient 2, anaphylactic reactions (generalized urticaria and

Discussion

We found that one patient had experienced the allergic reaction to food containing gelatin. Previously, we reported that some children who had IgE-mediated systemic reactions to measles and mumps vaccines also had allergic reactions to foods containing gelatin before or after vaccination.⁵

The four children in this study had anti-gelatin IgE values ranging from 1.4 to 11.5 Ua/ml (Table I). All of the 50 children who had no reaction to the vaccine (negative control group) had no anti-gelatin IgE

Acknowledgements

We thank the vaccine manufacturer for assistance with the serum sampling.

References (5)

JM Kelso et al.
Anaphylaxis to measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine mediated by IgE to gelatin
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M Sakaguchi et al.
IgE antibody to gelatin in children with immediate-type reactions to measles and mumps vaccines
J Allergy Clin Immunol
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There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

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^☆: From ^athe Department of Edipemiology, National Institute of Health, Tokyo; ^bPediatric Clinics of Tatsuru Yamanaka, Sapporo; ^cNishimachi Pediatric Clinics, Sapporo; ^dSano Clinics, Niigata; ^cResearch and Development Division, the Research Foundation for Microbial Disease of Osaka University, Kanonji; and ^fDepartment of Pediatrics, Haga Red Cross Hospital, Moka.

^☆☆: Reprint requests: Masahiro Sakaguchi, Department of Epidemiology, National Institute of Health, Toyama, 1-23-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162, Japan.

^★: 1/54/77911

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