It is rare for a child to suffer anaphylaxis following immunisation, according to a new study.

Published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, the researchers analysed cases of children aged under 16 in the UK and Ireland who were suspected to have suffered an attack between September 2008 and October 2009.

It was found that seven out of 15 of the reports - which were made through the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit - met the criteria for anaphylaxis having occurred following immunisation.

However, the authors - led by Dr Michel Erlewyn-Lajeunesse, of the Children's Allergy Clinic, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust - noted that none of the cases were related to vaccinations carried out as part of the routine immunisation programme for infants and pre-school children.

This is despite more than 5.5 million inoculations being carried out in this period, leading the authors to conclude that the condition is a "rare adverse event" after immunisation.

In addition to some medications, anaphylaxis can also be triggered by insect stings, shellfish and peanuts, the NHS notes.
 

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