The Influenza Specialist Group (ISG) is aware of reports of young children experiencing adverse reactions after receiving the seasonal influenza vaccine, including fever and in some cases febrile convulsions (e.g. a fit or a seizure).

The Commonwealth Government’s Chief Medical Officer (Prof Jim Bishop) has issued his second statement concerning seasonal flu vaccination for young children, after consideration of results of a comprehensive investigation into the safety of the vaccine. He has accordingly advised all Australian GPs and immunisation providers to continue the suspension of seasonal flu vaccination for healthy children under five years of age. He has however recommended that where a child aged under five has medical risk factors that would cause serious health effects for the child if they got the flu, parents should discuss with their doctor whether, on a clinical evaluation of the risks and benefits, a seasonal flu vaccination would be the best option¹.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in association with the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) and the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance undertook the investigation, and were unable to identify any apparent clinical, biological or epidemiological factors that would explain the higher than expected observed rates of fever with convulsions¹.

“It is quite unusual for children to experience adverse reactions in response to influenza vaccination at the rate reported in Australia this  year,” said Dr Alan Hampson, OAM, ISG Chair. “ Because no reason for the adverse reactions has been established, it remains important to   it remains appropriate to adopt the conservative approach announced by Professor Bishop.”

The ISG remains unaware of any similar reports of young children experiencing a similar rate of significant adverse reactions to inactivated influenza vaccines during recent years. The influenza vaccine is currently available for use in children aged ≥6 months in Australia² and is widely used in young children overseas.³

Current Australian immunisation guidelines recommend annual influenza vaccination for anyone who wishes to protect themselves.² In particular, the recommendations state that Australians over the age of 6 months who are at risk of severe complications from influenza should be vaccinated, including those with heart conditions, asthma and other lung conditions, diabetes (type 1 and type 2), kidney problems or impaired immunity, or anyone aged ≥65 years.²

It is the ISG’s understanding that most reports of adverse reactions to the 2010 seasonal influenza vaccine tended to occur in very young children within 12 hours following vaccination. People over five years of age can continue to be vaccinated against seasonal influenza as per usual; and there do not appear to be implications for the swine flu vaccine Panvax^®.

References

1. Australian Government Department of Health and Aging. Media statement: Seasonal flu vaccine remains suspended for young children without risk factors. 1 June 2010. Available at: CMO Media Release 1 June 2010
2. National Health and Medical Research Council, The Australian Immunisation Handbook 9th Edition 2008, Available at: http://immunise.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/Handbook-home
3. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. Children the flu and flu vaccine. Last viewed 23 April 201. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/children.htm