ABSTRACT
Currently available vaccines are safe but, potentially, any vaccine can
cause an allergic reaction and albeit very rare, anaphylaxis can occur.
Although its rarity, the precise diagnostic management of a suspected
anaphylaxis post-vaccination is of paramount importance due to the risk
of a potential serious reactions after re-exposure, while, a
misdiagnosis might lead to an increase in the number of children that
interrupt vaccinations resulting in an unjustifiably individual and
collective risk of loss of protection against immune preventable
diseases. Especially, in the light that most cases of suspected allergy
to a vaccine are not effectively confirmed in up to 85% of the patients
referred for an allergy evaluation and patients can continue vaccination
with the same formulation and tolerance of the booster doses
The patient assessment has to be done by an allergist or an immunologist
expert in the vaccine field to select subjects at risk of allergic
reactions and to perform the correct procedures for vaccine
hypersensitivity diagnosis and management, in order to guarantee safe
immunization practices.
Aim of this review is to provide a practical and safe management in the
clinical settings of the allergic patient which have to undergo
immunization practices, both to manage children with a suspected
allergic reaction to a vaccine both children with history of allergy to
a vaccine component.