Adverse reactions to rabies vaccination in children

Children's physical condition is very weak, especially some children who are often prone to being bitten and scratched by small animals. This is more serious because children are in weak physical conditions and are more susceptible to rabies. Then you can give your child a rabies vaccine, but every child has a different physical constitution. If the child is too seriously ill, the rabies vaccine will have adverse reactions. So what are the adverse reactions after children are vaccinated with rabies vaccine?

1. Allergic reaction

Allergic reactions usually occur after the second injection of the vaccine, that is, when the body is exposed to the same antigen again, causing sensitized cells to release a variety of allergic mediators, causing capillary dilation, increased vascular permeability, smooth muscle contraction and glandular secretion, etc. Clinically, it manifests as urticaria, anaphylactic shock, asthma, abdominal pain and diarrhea, etc.

1.1 For patients with mild symptoms, such as only a small amount of rash and mild itching, the patient should rest and drink plenty of water. The injection can be completed under close observation.

1.2 For patients with obvious rash or severe itching, antihistamines such as chlorpheniramine and phenergan can be given for treatment. Once the symptoms are alleviated, the batch number can be changed and the full injection can be completed. If necessary, the patient can be kept in the hospital for observation.

1.3 For patients with severe systemic rash and edema of the skin and mucous membranes, hospitalize them for observation and symptomatic treatment. If there is no hypotension, hormonal drugs such as dexamethasone do not need to be used. Since glucocorticoids are immunosuppressants that inhibit the body's production of antibodies and fail to neutralize the virus, you can consider changing the batch number and completing the injection while ensuring safety. Otherwise, you should not inject again.

2 Fever reaction

Since rabies vaccine is an antigen, it can stimulate the body's lymphocytes and neutrophils to produce inflammatory mediators, causing a fever reaction [1].

2.1 General fever reaction

The fever caused by vaccination is generally low-grade, mostly between 37-38°C. Advise the patient to drink plenty of water and rest. Generally, the body temperature will return to normal after a few days and no special treatment is required.

2.2 High fever

When patients have cold symptoms during vaccination, or after vaccination, they may develop high fever when they are in an irritating state such as fatigue or cold. When the body temperature is greater than 38.5°C, ordinary antipyretic drugs or physical cooling should be used appropriately, but the use of hormonal Western medicines or heat-clearing and detoxifying Chinese medicine preparations should be avoided. Therefore, after vaccination, advise patients to rest, avoid cold, fatigue, and heavy physical activities to reduce the occurrence of adverse reactions.

3. Local redness, swelling, nodules, and pain

This type of reaction is a type IV allergic reaction. When the body is stimulated by an antigen (vaccine), sensitized T lymphocytes react specifically to the antigen, causing tissue damage and forming granulomas locally at the injection site [1].