Flu season is upon us. Are you going to get a flu shot this year? There has been some concern in the past that adults and children who are allergic to eggs will have problems if they get a flu shot because it contains eggs. A Canadian study found that flu shots are safe for people with egg allergies.
The flu vaccine is designed to prevent people from catching influenza, (commonly called “the flu”). There have been concerns about giving flu shots to adults or children who have an allergy to eggs because the flu vaccine is grown in chicken eggs. Could this cause an allergic reaction?
A recent study finds that children with egg allergies can be safely vaccinated against the flu virus. The findings of the study appeared in the Journal of Clinical Immunology. It is worth noting that today’s flu vaccine contains only tiny traces of egg protein.
The study followed 367 people who were allergic to eggs, and who got the flu shot, over a five year period of time. Most of the group were children. Almost one-third of the people in the study had a history of experiencing anaphylaxis after they had eaten eggs.
None of the patients had a serious allergic reaction to the flu vaccine. Only 13 of the 367 people in the study had mild symptoms that were described as “allergy-like”. This includes having itchy skin or hives within one day of getting a flu shot. None had anaphylaxis after receiving a flu shot.
Lead researcher Anne Des Roches, of Hopital Sainte-Justine in Montreal, said:
“The risk of anaphylaxis appears sufficiently low for patients with egg allergy to be vaccinated like all other individuals, without requiring administration by an allergist.”
The researchers also reviewed 26 previous studies that focused on flu shots and potential allergic reactions to it from people who were allergic to eggs. Overall, this involved almost 4,000 people who had egg allergies and who got the flu shot. None of them developed a serious allergic reaction after receiving a flu shot.
In short, parents who have children who are allergic to eggs don’t need to be fearful about the potential for their child to have an allergic reaction to the flu shot. It is always a good idea to talk to your child’s doctor about whether or not your child needs to have a flu shot before you go out and get one for him or her.
Image by Steve A Johnson on Flickr