Neurological adverse events associated with vaccination

Prog Health Sci 2012, Vol 2 , No1

Neurologic adverse events following vaccination

Sienkiewicz D.*, Kułak W., Okurowska-Zawada B., Paszko-Patej G.

Department of Pediatric Rehabilitation of the Medical University of Bialystok, Poland

Abstract
The present review summarizes data on neurological adverse events following vaccination in the relation to intensity, time of onset, taking into account the immunological and non-immunological mechanisms. The authors described the physiological development of the immune system and the possible immune system responses following vaccination. Toxic property of thimerosal – a mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines was presented. The neurological complications after vaccination were described. The role of vaccination in the natural course of infectious diseases and the current immunizations schedule in Poland was discussed.

Discussion by Sienkiewicz et. al.: “Among the “major” neurological complications, usually manifesting more than 48 hours after vaccination and which might be the cause of permanent damage to the central nervous system (CNS), the following are listed: seizures – especially if there is no increase in body temperature, hypotonic-hyporesponsive episodes, postvaccinal encephalitis, postvaccinal encephalopathy [6, 8-11] and autism [10, 12-14].“