Sensitization to gelatin in
children with systemic non-immediate-type reactions to varicella
vaccines.
Sakaguchi M, Miyazawa H, Inouye
S.
Department of Medical Technology, Kyorin University,
Tokyo, Japan.
BACKGROUND: We recently found that four children
who experienced systemic immediate-type reactions to varicella vaccine
with gelatin had anti-gelatin IgE. We also found systemic
non-immediate-type allergic reactions, which mainly consist of systemic
cutaneous signs, appearing several hours or more after the vaccination.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between immune responses to
gelatin and non-immediate-type reactions to gelatin-containing varicella
vaccines, we measured anti-gelatin IgE and IgG in the sera of the
children with these allergic reactions. METHODS: Serum samples were
taken from 21 children who showed non-immediate-type reactions to
varicella vaccines. As a positive control, serum samples were taken from
33 children who showed immediate-type reactions to varicella vaccine and
had anti-gelatin IgE. As a negative control, serum samples were taken
from 50 children who showed no reaction to the vaccine. We then examined
anti-gelatin IgE and IgG in sera of the children. RESULTS: Of 21
children with non-immediate-type reactions, two (10%) had anti-gelatin
IgE and six (29%) had anti-gelatin IgG. In the positive control group,
all 33 children with immediate-type reactions had anti-gelatin IgG as
well as IgE. In the negative control group, all 50 children who showed
no allergic reaction to varicella vaccines had neither anti-gelatin IgE
nor IgG. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the possibility exists
that some non-immediate-type reactions to varicella vaccine are caused
by immune reactions to gelatin.