Viscerotropic and neurotropic disease following vaccination with the 17D yellow fever vaccine, ARILVAX ®

Abstract

Yellow fever vaccine associated viscerotropic (YFV-AVD) and neurotropic (YFV-AND) diseases have been recently identified in various countries. Previously post-vaccination multiple organ system failure was recognised as a rare serious adverse event of yellow fever vaccination and 21 cases of post-vaccinal (YFV) encephalitis had been recorded. Incidence data is not available. On investigation of vaccine surveillance reports from Europe following distribution of more than 3 million doses of ARILVAX™, four cases each of YFV-AVD and YFV-AND were found (each 1.3 cases per million doses distributed) for the period 1991 to 2003. The incidence for each is higher after 1996 (2.5 cases per million doses distributed). The incidence of these adverse events appears to be very low with ARILVAX™. Similar incidence data is required from other countries for comparison.