VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH REPORTS CARDIAC RELATED ILLNESS IN SMALLPOX VACCINE RECIPIENT

(Richmond, Va.)—The Virginia Department of Health has reported details of a health care worker who experienced chest pain five weeks after receiving the smallpox vaccine to the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). The health care worker, who is from the Northwestern Region of the state, received the smallpox vaccine as part of ongoing emergency preparedness efforts. It is unknown whether the illness was related to the smallpox vaccine.

The individual received the smallpox vaccine on February 24, 2003. Five weeks following vaccination the person experienced chest pain and an abnormal heart beat. The patient was hospitalized on April 6 for observation and testing. The patient was released from the hospital on April 9 after cardiac tests were normal. The patient is now at home recovering. The state’s Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are testing samples collected from the patient.

“We are pleased that the patient has improved. The case is being formally reported as a precautionary measure,” said Deputy Commissioner for Emergency Preparedness Lisa Kaplowitz, M.D., M.S.H.A. “The likelihood of this person’s problem being related to receiving the smallpox vaccine is probably low due to the person's age and length of time between vaccination and the illness. We believe it's important to share all such information with the CDC for their consideration.”

The Virginia Department of Health has now reported six cases of illness to VAERS since March 5, 2003, five of those cases were reported as non-serious illnesses. It remains unknown whether any of the illnesses were connected to the vaccine.

On February 5, 2003, the Virginia Department of Health began providing smallpox vaccine to volunteer health care personnel as part of the state’s ongoing emergency preparedness efforts. To date, 646 public health staff, hospital staff and other participants have received the smallpox vaccine in Virginia.

For more information, log onto www.vdh.state.va.us, and click on Emergency Preparedness and Response Programs. The CDC Public Response Service hotline with vital information for Virginians is available at 888-246-2675 (English), 888-246-2857 (Español), or 866-874-2646 (TTY).

Notice to Media: Future reporting on potential adverse events reported to VAERS will be made public weekly on the VDH Web under the Emergency Preparedness and Response Programs' smallpox vaccination totals. A press release will be issued in the event of death or a life-threatening case.