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Craiu D, Rener Primec Z, Lagae L, et al. Vaccination and childhood epilepsies. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2021;36:57-68doi: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2021.11.014.
Craiu, D., Rener Primec, Z., Lagae, L., Vigevano, F., Trinka, E., Specchio, N., Bakhtadze, S., Cazacu, C., Golli, T., & Zuberi, S. M. (2021). Vaccination and childhood epilepsies. European journal of paediatric neurology : EJPN : official journal of the European Paediatric Neurology Society, 3657-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpn.2021.11.014
Craiu, Dana, et al. "Vaccination and childhood epilepsies." European journal of paediatric neurology : EJPN : official journal of the European Paediatric Neurology Society vol. 36 (2021): 57-68. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpn.2021.11.014
Craiu D, Rener Primec Z, Lagae L, Vigevano F, Trinka E, Specchio N, Bakhtadze S, Cazacu C, Golli T, Zuberi SM. Vaccination and childhood epilepsies. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2021 Dec 03;36:57-68. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2021.11.014. Epub 2021 Dec 03. PMID: 34922162.
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Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2021 Dec 03;36:57-68. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2021.11.014. Epub 2021 Dec 03.

Vaccination and childhood epilepsies.

European journal of paediatric neurology : EJPN : official journal of the European Paediatric Neurology Society

Dana Craiu, Zvonka Rener Primec, Lieven Lagae, Federico Vigevano, Eugen Trinka, Nicola Specchio, Sophia Bakhtadze, Cristina Cazacu, Tanja Golli, Sameer M Zuberi

Affiliations

  1. Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosciences, Pediatric Neurology Discipline II, Strada Dionisie Lupu No. 37, postal code: 020021, Bucharest/S2, Romania; Pediatric Neurology Clinic, Center of Expertise for Rare Disorders in Pediatric Neurology, EpiCARE member, Sos. Berceni 10, Bucharest/S4, Romania. Electronic address: [email protected].
  2. Department of Child, Adolescent and Developmental Neurology, Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Ljubljana Bohori?eva 20, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: [email protected].
  3. University of Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Section Paediatric Neurology, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: [email protected].
  4. Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, Piazza S. Onofrio, 4, 00151, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
  5. Department of Neurology, Christian-Doppler Medical Centre, Paracelsus Medical University, Affiliated Member of the European Reference Network, EpiCARE, 5020, Salzburg, Austria; Neuroscience Institute, Christian-Doppler Medical Centre, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Austria. Electronic address: [email protected].
  6. Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, Piazza S. Onofrio, 4, 00151, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
  7. Department of Paediatric Neurology, Tbilisi State Medical University, 0160, Tbilisi, Georgia. Electronic address: [email protected].
  8. Pediatric Neurology Clinic, Center of Expertise for Rare Disorders in Pediatric Neurology, EpiCARE member, Sos. Berceni 10, Bucharest/S4, Romania. Electronic address: [email protected].
  9. Department of Child, Adolescent and Developmental Neurology, Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Ljubljana Bohori?eva 20, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: [email protected].
  10. Paediatric Neurosciences, Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow, UK; Institute of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 34922162 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2021.11.014

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The evidence relating vaccination to febrile seizures and epilepsy is evaluated with an emphasis on febrile seizures (FS), Dravet syndrome (DS), West syndrome, and other developmental and epileptic encephalopathies.

METHODS: A systematic literature review using search words vaccination/immunization AND febrile seizures/epilepsy/Dravet/epileptic encephalopathy/developmental encephalopathy was performed. The role of vaccination as the cause/trigger/aggravation factor for FS or epilepsies and preventive measures were analyzed.

RESULTS: From 1428 results, 846 duplicates and 447 irrelevant articles were eliminated; 120 were analyzed.

CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence that vaccinations cause epilepsy in healthy populations. Vaccinations do not cause epileptic encephalopathies but may be non-specific triggers to seizures in underlying structural or genetic etiologies. The first seizure in DS may be earlier in vaccinated versus non-vaccinated patients, but developmental outcome is similar in both groups. Children with a personal or family history of FS or epilepsy should receive all routine vaccinations. This recommendation includes DS. The known risks of the infectious diseases prevented by immunization are well established. Vaccination should be deferred in case of acute illness. Acellular pertussis DTaP (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis) is recommended. The combination of certain vaccine types may increase the risk of febrile seizures however the public health benefit of separating immunizations has not been proven. Measles-containing vaccine should be administered at age 12-15 months. Routine prophylactic antipyretics are not indicated, as there is no evidence of decreased FS risk and they can attenuate the antibody response following vaccination. Prophylactic measures (preventive antipyretic medication) are recommended in DS due to the increased risk of prolonged seizures with fever.

Copyright © 2021 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Dravet; Epilepsy; Epileptic and developmental encephalopathies; Febrile seizures; Immunization; Vaccination

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest There are no conflicts of interest for any of the authors related to this article. Sophia Bakhtadze declares no conflicts of interest in relation to this manuscript.

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