H1N1 Vaccine May Cause Egg Allergy Reaction

Risks of Swine Flu Vaccination For Individuals Allergic to Eggs

Oct 31, 2009

There is much controversy over the H1N1 Type A influenza vaccine and according to Health Canada, it should be avoided by those with severe egg allergies.

With the constant news about the swine flu, flu season has been year round, but with the approach of winter there is more concern about the H1N1 strain of the influenza A virus. There is also a lot of confusion and misinformation. Many people are still not sure whether to get the H1N1 flu vaccine or not and it is important to be informed before making that decision.

A report by Health Canada involves the risk of the swine flu vaccine for people with egg allergies. Because the manufacturing process of H1N1 vaccine involves incubation in eggs, this information is correct and the vaccine should be avoided by people with true egg allergies.

What is an Egg Allergy?

Most individuals do not have serious allergies to eggs, but a very small proportion do have severe reactions to eggs. For these individuals the vaccine could be dangerous and should be avoided until it is confirmed that it will not trigger an allergic reaction. People with egg and other severe food allergies often also have asthma or allergic respiratory illnesses that make them more susceptible to getting the flu and suffering from related complications.

There is a difference between an egg allergy and a sensitivity reaction. Individuals with sensitivity to eggs do not have life-threatening symptoms but may get an upset stomach or a rash from eating eggs.

How is the H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Produced?

There are other ways to produce the vaccinations and pharmaceutical companies are planning to manufacture swine flu vaccinations use a cell-culture process which does not require incubation in eggs. However it is not yet known when these will be available or if they will be commonly mass produced or if doctors will be able to specially order egg-free vaccines for patients with severe egg allergies. Dr. Thomas Frieden, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention based in Atlanta, Georgia warns that non-egg based techniques for producing flu vaccines are still experimental and may not be effective or become readily available this year.

How Can People With Severe Allergies Avoid the Swine Flu?

According to Canada’s chief medical officer, Dr. David Butler-Jones, individuals with egg allergies who still wish to be vaccinated should do so under the careful supervision of their allergists. Allergists may be able to determine whether an individual will react negatively to the H1N1 flu vaccine by first doing a scratch test on the skin as is done with any other allergens. Allergists can also determine risk factors based on a patient’s medical history and use methods to desensitize patients. It may be beneficial for family members of patients with severe allergy illnesses such as food allergies and asthma, to get the H1N1 vaccination to avoid passing it on to susceptible individuals.

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