Usually, a vaccine causes only minor side effects - a mild fever and soreness at the site of injection. A small number of people can, however, experience more serious side effects, for instance allergic reactions. It has been proven that taking multiple vaccinations for different diseases at the same time is safe and does not increase the risk of side effects.
First of all, learn how to recognise serious side effects: high fever, behavioural changes, breathing difficulties, hoarseness or wheezing, hives, paleness, weakness, fast heartbeat or dizziness, throat swelling.
If you notice these symptoms, call a doctor; if you fear a serious problem, take the person directly to the doctor or to emergency services. Explain to the doctor what happened as thoroughly as possible: provide a list of symptoms, the date and time the symptoms appeared, and when the vaccination was given.
20% of those vaccinated suffer from joint pain, headache, soreness, and redness or itching after injection. In 5% of cases, individuals experience serious fatigue, fever and nausea; an equal number of those vaccinated develop large areas of redness where the shot was given. However, cases of serious allergic reaction are uncommon (less than one case in every 100,000 shots).
There is no evidence that the anthrax vaccine causes sterility, birth defects or long-term health problems.
Around 25% of individuals vaccinated complain of mild fever, redness, swelling, soreness or tenderness where the shot was given. Other common side effects include loss of appetite, fatigue, fussiness and vomiting; they usually do not last more than three days after the injection.
Serious side effects are uncommon and include seizures, non-stop crying, and high fever (above 105°F or 40°C). In extremely rare cases, serious allergic reactions can happen, causing breathing difficulties and shock.
Most people complain of soreness where the shot was given and, in 5 to 10% of the cases, headache, loss of appetite and tiredness 3 to 5 days after the shot.
The most common serious side effect is an allergic reaction which usually occurs in the minutes or hours following the shot. These reactions remain rare.
Most people complain of soreness where the shot was given and in 5 to 10% of the cases, headache, loss of appetite and tiredness 3 to 5 days following the shot.
The most common serious side effect is an allergic reaction which usually happens in the minutes or hours following the shot. These reactions remain rare.
A minority of people experience mild fever, skin irritations and soreness where the shot was given, up to two days following the injection. Life-threatening allergic reactions are very rare.
During the 1990's, studies showed that there is a small risk that the vaccine is associated with a severe auto-immune illness, called Guillain-Barré syndrome, which causes paralysis. These cases occurred in 1976 in people who had taken the swine flu vaccine.
20% of people vaccinated experience soreness, redness and/or swelling where the shot was given; in 10% of the cases, fever, headache, rash, abdominal or muscle pain may also be observed. These problems usually disappear after a couple of days.
Serious allergic reactions (0.6% of all vaccinated people) may occur up to 17 days after receiving the vaccine, and include rash, swelling of the face, hands or feet, and breathing difficulties. Seizures and nervous conditions have also been reported, but are even rarer (less than 1 case per 50,000 people vaccinated).
Common side effects include soreness, in 25% of the cases, and redness or swelling where the shot was given, fever and joint and muscle pain (up to 1 person out of 15 on average).
Redness or pain may appear where the shot was given. A small percentage of people develop a mild fever.
Frequent and mild side effects include moderate fevers, rash (5% of the cases) and swelling of glands in the cheek or neck, usually up to 7 to 12 days after the shot. They are less common after the second injection.
Moderate side effects include seizures caused by fever, temporary pain and stiffness in the joints, mostly among teenagers or adult women, temporary low platelet count (which can cause a bleeding disorder), temporary swelling of the lymph nodes and temporary inflammation of the parotid gland (salivary gland near the ear).
Severe side effects include allergic reactions (less than 1 in a million shots) as well as deafness, coma or lowered consciousness, and permanent brain damage. However, these cases are so rare that it is not sure they are caused by the vaccine.
20 to 30% of people vaccinated experience soreness or swelling where the shot was given, up to a month after the shot.
In one case in a thousand, fever can cause seizures. In the most serious cases, pneumonia caused by the vaccine has been reported.
Mild problems, which are observed in 25% of people vaccinated, include soreness, redness, swelling, fever and aches, and may last for ten days.
Life-threatening or severe nervous system reactions are seen in approximately 1 in 150,000 people, and major organ system failure in 1 in 200,000 (1 in 50,000 for people older than 60). Over 50% of people who suffer from serious side effects die. It must be noted that severe reactions are less likely to occur after a booster dose than after the first shot.
