Vaccinations and ME/CFS - including swine flu vaccine:
Anecdotal evidence indicates that a number of vaccinations are occasionally capable of either triggering ME/CFS, or causing an exacerbation of pre-existing symptoms, and the UK CMO Working Group report acknowledged (in section 3.3.2) that vaccinations can occasionally act as a trigger factor in the development of ME/CFS. The CMO report can be e-accessed using the document archive on the MEA website:
www.meassociation.org.uk
The link is biologically plausible but there hasn't been any really robust research carried out to investigate the role of vaccinations as immune system stressors in the causation of ME/CFS.
Two fairly recent published reports of interest relate to an MHRA review of HPV vaccine (Cervarix) and ME/CFS >>
http://www.mhra.gov.uk/NewsCentre/Pressreleases/CON316330
and two case reports re Swine Flu vaccine and ME/CFS:
http://www.meassociation.org.uk/201...accination-bmj-rapid-responses-21-march-2014/
I have a longstanding interest in the role of vaccinations in ME/CFS and my patient evidence on the subject, which is now quite substantial and includes a number of health workers who were vaccinated almost as a condition of employment, indicates that hepatatis B vaccine appears to play an unusual and significant role here
This is supported by the results of the MEA website poll on the roll of vaccinations as trigger factors for ME/CFS (see below)
The MEA has an information leaflet which summaries the research evidence relating to vaccinations and ME/CFS.
Similar information is summarised and referenced on page 41 of the MEA purple booklet.
MEA WEBSITE POLL:
If your ME/CFS was triggered by a vaccination, which vaccine was involved?
- Hepatitis B (57%, 338 Votes)
- Flu (9%, 51 Votes)
- Other (7%, 41 Votes)
- BCG (6%, 33 Votes)
- Cannot remember (5%, 31 Votes)
- Combination (5%, 27 Votes)
- Tetanus (3%, 18 Votes)
- Meningitis (3%, 17 Votes)
- MMR (2%, 14 Votes)
- Polio (2%, 10 Votes)
- Hepatitis A (1%, 7 Votes)
- Typhoid (0%, 4 Votes)
Total Voters: 591
Start Date: April 30, 2010 @ 3:20 pm
End Date: June 2, 2010 @ 3:20 pm