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April 07, 2003
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS
"Oculo-Respiratory Syndrome: a New Influenza Vaccine-Associated Adverse Event?"
Clinical Infectious Diseases (www.journals.uchicago.edu/CID/home.html)
(03/03) Vol. 36, No. 6, P. 705; Skowronski, Danuta M.; Strauss, Barbara; De Serres, Gaston
Doctors in Canada noticed in the winter of 2000-2001 a new adverse event associated with the supply of influenza vaccine from one manufacturer, oculo-respiratory syndrome (ORS). Researchers noted the case definition for ORS includes bilateral conjunctivitis, facial edema, or respiratory symptoms beginning between two hours and 24 hours after influenza vaccination and ending 48 hours after onset of disease. The researchers sought to determine the frequency and severity of the event, contacting 609 patients of an eligible 769 persons through a standardized telephone interview. Of respondents, 13 percent said that they contracted ORS within two hours of vaccination, 27 percent said they experienced symptoms for more than 48 hours, and 42 percent felt that the symptoms they experienced were severe. As a result, the ORS case definition for surveillance for the 2001-2002 influenza vaccination season included onset within 24 hours of vaccination, with no restriction of symptom duration. With this information in mind, the scientists conclude that ORS should be included in annual influenza vaccine safety monitoring programs.
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