Flu Vaccine, Egg Allergies, 2011

Seems this year, they are saying even with an agg allergy, get the flu shot.

Check with your allergist about what is right for you and your family.

From a press release from the NIH:

CDC Recommends Seasonal Flu Shot for People with Egg Allergy

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recently published new recommendations about this year’s seasonal flu vaccine in the United States. The committee now recommends that people with egg allergy receive the flu shot, especially if they only have had mild egg-allergic reactions such as hives. The recommendation does not apply to the nasal spray influenza vaccine.

The updated ACIP guidance is based, in part, on findings from recent studies discussed in the Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in the United States: Report of the NIAID-Sponsored Expert Panel. These studies show that the flu shot (which contains heat-killed flu virus) can be given safely to most people with egg allergy.

Read the updated guidance on the ACIP website.

Comments

Atopic Girl said…
Taking the flu vaccine is so important for those of us who are both allergic and atopic. I have moderate to severe asthma and a severe anaphylactic reaction to eggs. However, when the recommendations changed a couple of years ago in Canada, I saw my allergist. He injected a small amount, waited for a while and then gave me the remaining dose. I have now successfully taken the flu shot for two years (H1N1 and the annual shot) with no reaction, not even at the site. It's definitely worth a conversation with an allergist, especially if you have asthma.

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