ALLERGIC MUCOCUTANEOUS REACTIONS TO JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS VACCINE

Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine has been used in childhood immuniza tion programmes in Asia for many years, Also travellers Si om other pa rts of the world have been vaccinated before travelling in Asian count ries. Recommendations for the use of JE vaccine are still debated beca use severe cases of adverse reactions have been reported, In Denmark a n inactivated JE vaccine derived from infected mouse brain has been us ed and 350000 doses have been distributed from the Statens Serum Insti tut since 1983. In the period 1983-1995, 101 adverse reactions after J E vaccination have been registered including 73 allergic mucocutaneous reactions, These reactions have occurred each year since 1989 with fr equencies varying from 1-17 per 10000 vaccinees, The highest frequenci es and the roost serious reactions acquiring hospitalization were seen in the period 1989-1992, Three batches (EJN 012, 033 and 048) distrib uted before 1992 caused the highest number of reactions but all batche s delivered in Denmark since 1989 have caused reactions. Therefore, it is still very important to collect information on adverse events as w ell as information of the risk of acquiring JE infection in order to g ive sound recommendations to travellers. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd .