Adverse Reactions to Polyvalent Pneumococcal Vaccine

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Abstract
Adverse reactions to the polyvalent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine were evaluated with respect to age of the vaccinees and route of administration. When either pneumococcal or influenza virus vaccine was administered by s.c. injection in a randomized single-blind study to 181 elderly persons aged 60-85 yr, local reactions were similar: 1/3 of the vaccinees complained of soreness at the injection site, whereas 90% had some local reaction (erythema, induration or soreness). Only 3/90 recipients of the pneumococcal vaccine and none of those who received the influenza vaccine had a slight rise in temperature (37.4-38.5.degree. C). Most reactions subsided within 2 days. When the pneumococcal vaccine was given to 100 healthy firemen (mean age 31 yr), local soreness was more common (76%) than among the old people (P < 0.001), and fever was significantly more frequent (12%; P < 0.05). Local soreness lasted somewhat longer after i.m. (mean 42.5 h) than after s.c. (mean 32.5 h, P < 0.05) injection, whereas local erythema was more common after s.c. (80%) than after i.m. (38%) injection (P < 0.001). The presence of reactions correlated with a higher concentration of antibodies to the vaccine polysaccharides.