ABSTRACT

Egg allergy is the second most common food allergy in infants and may cause urticaria, angioedema, anaphylaxis, and exacerbation of atopic dermatitis. Egg allergy is diagnosed by carefully examining a patient’s clinical history, performing contributory skin prick tests, and assessing specific IgE levels to hen’s egg. The administration of measles, measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), and varicella vaccinations to children with egg allergy remains controversial. These vaccines contain trace amounts of egg proteins as they are produced in chicken embryo fibroblast cultures. The incidence of anaphylaxis as a result of vaccinations is very low, and its cause (egg or gelatin) is not well known. Here we report our experience with the three vaccinations in 18 patients with egg allergy (36 doses).

Between 2013 and 2016, we retrospectively evaluated patients with egg allergy who presented to our allergy clinic for vaccinations. After performing the skin prick test for patients who were admitted to our clinic, vaccinations were administered by dividing the doses in equal two parts.

All patients had a clinical history, and atopic dermatitis coexisted with egg allergy in three patients. The skin prick test results were positive in 12 (67%) patients. The specific IgE test was positive in 16 (89%) patients. There was a reaction in just one (2.9%) patient of 18 patients of 36 dose vaccinations.

Measles, MMR, and varicella vaccinations in children with egg allergy were found to be safe albeit small number of patients. We believe that egg allergy does not necessitate a delay or contraindication for vaccination.

Keywords: Allergy, egg, vaccination, measles, MMR, varicella