Publication: A high rate of neurological complications following semple anti-rabies vaccine
Issued Date
1988-01-01
Resource Type
ISSN
18783503
00359203
00359203
Other identifier(s)
2-s2.0-0023925705
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Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Vol.82, No.3 (1988), 472-475
Suggested Citation
Witaya Swaddiwuthipong, Bruce G. Weniger, Somsak Wattanasri, M. J. Warrell A high rate of neurological complications following semple anti-rabies vaccine. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Vol.82, No.3 (1988), 472-475. doi:10.1016/0035-9203(88)90167-8 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/15580
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Title
A high rate of neurological complications following semple anti-rabies vaccine
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Abstract
A fatal case of encephalitis due to Semple (phenolized sheep-brain) anti-rabies vaccine prompted a search for neurological complications among 722 recipients of 2 vaccine batches administered in Bangkok, Thailand in June and July 1984. A review of all patients admitted with neurological symptoms from June through August 1984 to the 5 major teaching hospitals in Bangkok found 6 cases (0 83%), including the index case, who had received the vaccine. Rabies infection was ruled out in all 6 cases. 4 patients had meningitis, and 2 had meningoencephalitis. Only the index case was fatal; the other patients recovered without neurological sequelae. The rate of neurological complications after receiving Semple vaccine was therefore a minimum of 8 31 cases per 1000 persons vaccinated (1:120). This complication rate was about 25 times higher than the overall complication rate of 0 33 per 1000 (1:3018) determined from 14 previous reports. The fatality rate was 1-39 per 1000 (1:722), about 15 times higher than the rate of 0-09 per 1000 (1:10805) calculated from the previous studies. It is urgent to find economically feasible alternatives to Semple vaccine. © 1988 Oxford University Press.