Absence of association between Guillain-Barré syndrome hospitalizations and HPV-vaccine

Abstract

Background: In 2008, a school-based human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination program was implemented in the province of Québec. Grade 4 girls (9-10 years old) are routinely vaccinated and grade 9 to 12 girls (14-17 years old) were eligible for the catch-up vaccination. Vaccine coverage of the targeted cohorts was estimated at 76-81%. To assess if HPV vaccination is associated with an increase in GBS hospitalisation, we compared the hospitalization rates of GBS in HPV vaccination targeted and non-targeted groups.

Methods: Hospital discharge records with a GBS code as the main diagnosis during the 1999-2014 period were retrieved. Incidence rates according to program eligibility were computed and adjusted relative risk in the targeted groups was estimated by Poisson regression.

Results: The overall incidence rate in the 7 to 17 year-olds was 0.73/100,000 p-y. There was no increase in GBS incidence in HPV vaccination targeted groups (adjusted IRR = 0.81, 95%CI: 0.29-2.26).

Conclusion: No signal of increase GBS hospitalisation incidence in the HPV-vaccine targeted group was detected in the hospitalisation database.

Keywords: Guillain-Barré syndrome; human papilloma virus; immunization; safety; vaccine.