The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends influenza immunization as the first step to reduce your risk of infection with seasonal and pandemic flu strains. While there are many advantages to getting vaccinated, there are also some side effects you need to be aware of.
Local Site Reaction
Influenza vaccination is often associated with a local site reaction, which varies depending on the route of administration. For the injectable vaccine, more than 10 percent of adults and children complained of injection site reactions consisting of localized muscle pain, tenderness, redness and swelling which persisted for up to one week, according to product literature supplied by FDA-approved vaccine manufacturer Sanofi-Pasteur. For the intranasal vaccine (Flu Mist), manufacturer MedImmune reported that more than 10 percent of adults and children complained of runny nose or nasal congestion.
Flu-Like Symptoms
Flu-like symptoms are reported in fewer than 10 percent of people after an influenza immunization. In clinical studies done by CSL Biotherapies Inc., makers of the Afluria seasonal flu vaccine, approximately 10 percent of adults complained of headache, muscle ache, fatigue and malaise after receiving the vaccine. Children reported a broader range of symptoms, including irritability, rhinitis, fever, cough, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, muscle aches and sore throat. These symptoms were usually mild and resolved within a few days. People who receive Flu Mist, a live attenuated (weakened) form of the influenza virus, may be more likely to experience symptoms.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune disorder in which the body manufactures antibodies against sites on the peripheral nerves. One in a million people who received the swine flu vaccine in 1976 and the seasonal flu vaccine between 1992 and 1994 developed GBS. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, initial symptoms of GBS include muscle weakness and tingling that begins in the legs and moves up the body progressively. In severe cases, a person may be completely paralyzed and require a ventilator to breathe due to paralysis of the diaphragm. In 90 percent of patients, symptoms peak at approximately three weeks. Between five and six percent of people with GBS die. Among those who survive, recovery is prolonged; 30 percent of patients still report residual weakness three years after infection.
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