Adverse events associated with intranasal influenza vaccine in the United States

Abstract

Methods: The goal of this review was to analyze the post-vaccination adverse effects associated with Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) compared to those of the Injectable Trivalent Inactivated Vaccine (TIV) in patients with egg allergy and asthma. PubMed, Ovid, and Google searches were conducted. Searched articles relating to allergic reactions, asthma or food allergy, and LAIV were reviewed.

Results: Similar or superior efficacy of LAIV compared to TIV was reported by various studies. Respiratory symptoms were the most common adverse events following both vaccinations. Although no evidence was found of a direct causal relationship between intranasal influenza vaccine and anaphylaxis due to egg allergy, a number of cases of anaphylaxis were reported. To date, there are no studies directly comparing the frequency of anaphylactic reactions between the two vaccines.

Conclusions: The safety of LAIV in individuals with unstable asthma and egg allergy has not been established and it should be avoided in these populations. For patients with unstable asthma, TIV should remain the therapy of choice.