The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccination as a first line of defense for flu prevention. The seasonal flu vaccine protects against the three strains of virus that researchers anticipate being present during the flu season. There are some dangers associated with the flu vaccine.
Allergies
Flu vaccines are developed using chicken eggs--if a person has an allergy to chicken eggs, he should not get the flu vaccination. Allergic reactions to other components of the vaccine can also occur--if a person has had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination, she should not take the flu vaccine. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction would include breathing difficulties, hoarseness or wheezing, hives, paleness, weakness, a rapid heartbeat or dizziness. If a person experiences these symptoms, he should contact his health care provider immediately.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare disorder in which a person's immune system causes damage to the body's nerve cells. This damage causes muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. Researchers do not know why some people contract GBS, but it is thought that possibly in rare cases, a vaccination may activate the immune system to cause damage to the nerve cells. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports one to twp cases of GBS per 100,000 people, whether they received a flu vaccination or not. Individuals who have contracted GBS within six weeks of a flu vaccination should not have another immunization.
Common Side Effects
The most common danger of the flu vaccine is localized tenderness, redness or swelling or body aches and fever. It's important to note that the flu vaccine is produced with dead influenza virus so a person cannot contract the flu from the vaccine. If a person is experiencing flu like symptoms after an influenza vaccination, his timing was likely very unlucky--remember vaccinations are given during times of flu outbreaks so he may not have gotten the vaccination in time or it did not have time to create immunity before he was infected.
