To update the latest evidence on adverse events following immunization (AEFI) for acellular pertussis vaccines.
Approach:
Literature Review: The authors followed published literature on AEFIs since 1996, evaluating approximately 2700 publications, including 17 systematic reviews.
Expert Input: Included insights from experts in relevant clinical fields for specific AEFIs.
Key Findings:
Mild adverse events are common and transient, with no new mild events reported recently.
Moderate adverse events include fever, extensive limb swelling, and hypotonic hyporesponsive episodes (HHE).
HHE occurs primarily in infants under 6 months, with a median onset of 4 months.
Interpretation:
This review provides an overview of AEFIs associated with acellular pertussis vaccines, detailing both mild and moderate events.
Limitations:
The review is influenced by local epidemiology and background incidences.
Some AEFIs have uncertain causal relationships with vaccination.
Conclusion:
This narrative review updates the understanding of AEFIs related to acellular pertussis vaccines.
