Measles-mumps-rubella vaccination experience in children with egg allergy

Introduction:
Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is a part of the childhood routine immunization program. It is known that allergic reactions, from urticaria to anaphylaxis, may develop against MMR vaccines containing trace amounts of egg protein and other ingredients.

Aim:
To determine whether children with any degree of egg allergy show allergic reactions to the MMR vaccine application and to draw attention to the fact that children without a history of anaphylaxis can be vaccinated safely by practitioners and/or family physicians in health centers.

Material and methods:
The files of 90 patients who were vaccinated between 2017 and 2022 in the pediatric allergy clinic were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were those who were followed up due to egg allergy in our outpatient clinic or were referred from the family health centers because the family said that the baby had an egg allergy.

Results:
A total of 94 doses of vaccination were given to 90 patients. Four doses were for those who were vaccinated for a second time. All skin prick tests with 94 doses of MMR vaccine were negative, and only 1 patient (1/94, 1.06%) developed nonspecific macular rash half an hour after vaccination. No other allergic reactions or anaphylaxis were observed.

Conclusions:
No serious allergic reaction developed after MMR vaccination in IgE-mediated egg allergy patients. We think that there is no harm in administering MMR vaccine to these patients in family health centers where other vaccines are applied, without testing with the vaccine and without the need for divided doses.