MMR and DTP vaccines can cause febrile seizures
Children who have been given diphtheria, tetanus and
pertussis (DTP) or measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines are at increased
risk of suffering febrile seizures but are unlikely to suffer long-term
neurological damage as a result.
This reassurance comes from a study conducted by
Dr William Barlow from the Immunisation Studies Programme, University
of Washington, Seattle, and colleagues.
Using children registered with the Vaccine Safety
Datalink project, they looked for an association between administration
of the vaccines, febrile seizures and long-term neurological disabilities.
They found significantly increased risks of febrile seizures on the day
of administration of DTP vaccine and eight to 14 days after MMR vaccine
was given.
“This risk translates into approximately six to
nine additional febrile seizures attributable to DTP vaccine for every
100,000 children who are vaccinated and 25 to 34 additional febrile seizures
attributable to MMR vaccine,” the investigators say.
A follow-up analysis showed that children who had
had febrile seizures after being given either vaccine were at no greater
risk of epilepsy or of developing learning, behavioural or psychiatric
disorders than children who had suffered febrile seizures but had not
been vaccinated. There was no significant increase in febrile or non-febrile
seizures at any other time after injection of either vaccine.
“A transient increase in the risk of febrile seizures
should not obscure the benefits of vaccination with the DTP and MMR vaccines...Vaccination
with DTP and MMR vaccines has also reduced the incidence of neurological
disabilities that would have resulted from pertussis or measles,” the
investigators conclude (New England Journal of Medicine 2001;345:656).
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