MEASLES, MUMPS, RUBELLA VACCINE ADMINISTRATION IN EGG-SENSITIVE CHILDREN - SYSTEMIC REACTIONS DURING VACCINE DESENSITIZATION

In egg-sensitive children, measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination may cause acute allergic reactions, therefore, current recommendations ar e to perform skin testing with the commercial vaccine before administr ation to egg-allergic children. In children with positive skin tests, desensitization with the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine should be done in order to administer a full dose of the vaccine. Twelve egg-allergic children, aged 12 months to 5 years of age, were referred to our pedi atric allergy clinic for MMR administration over a 20-month period. Th ree children had positive skin prick or intradermal tests to the MMR v accine. Two of these three patients experienced systemic hypersensitiv ity reactions while undergoing desensitization to the MMR. All reactio ns occurred with injections of the undiluted vaccine. Based upon this experience, we recommend that egg-allergic children should continue to have cutaneous tests done to the MMR vaccine and careful observation during desensitization in those children with positive skin tests.