Armaghane Danesh Bimonthly Journal (Jul 2008)
Adverse Effects of DPT Vaccine in Children below 7 Years of Age in Rural and Urban Areas of Kohgiloye and Boyerahmad Province In 1385
Abstract
Introduction & Objective: Vaccination is an important and precious intervention which can protect individuals and community against vaccine preventable diseases with low cost. Although vaccines in use including DPT are very effective but there is no vaccine without adverse events. The DPT adverse events can be classified as vaccine reaction, injection reaction, coincidental events and program error. The aims of this study were to investigate the adverse events of DPT and providing measures for improvement of existing surveillance and reporting system. Materials & Methods: in this cross sectional study a total number of 2000 children who were vaccinated with DPT were followed for a 4 month periods from the beginning of June to the end of September for adverse events. Sampling was done by clustering methods in 20% of rural and urban health centers which were randomly selected. A structural questionnaire was completed for each subject along with interview and physical exam. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 11.5 Results: Systemic reactions including loss of appetite was seen in 4.9%, fatigue in 3%, pallor in 1.8%, crying for more than 3 hours in 1.6% and vomiting in 1.5% of vaccinated children. local reactions was seen in 56% of cases which were including: redness in the injection site (13.5%), swelling without redness (12.2%), swelling with redness (6.2%). Vaccine reaction (fever as the most) was noted in 45% of cases, program error in 7.6% of cases, injection reaction in 3% of children and coincidental in 1.2% of children. Conclusion: the most common adverse event following DPT vaccine was due to vaccine reaction. Injection site had the most quotas in presenting the vaccine reaction. We suggest changing of the DPT injection site from deltoid to upper outer part of thigh. Injection reaction can also be due to first experience of the young children in their first vaccination schedule
