Title : Hypersensitivity and Anti-SARS-COV-2 vaccination: A Retrospective Study of the Year 2021 at the University Hospital Center of Tours (France)
Abstract:
Preamble: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, a mass vaccination campaign was organized. In December 2020, the High Health Authority (Haute Autorité de Santé) recommended, as a precautionary principle, to contraindicate anti-SARS-COV-2 vaccination for any person with a history of allergy. The High Health Authority's position had created a climate of major anxiety, which led to a considerable increase in the number of allergological consultations for hypersensitivity to the SARS-COV-2 vaccine in France, even though allergies to conventional vaccines are rare.
Aim of Study: This work aims to study hypersensitivity reactions related to SARS-COV-2 vaccination and to identify among them allergic hypersensitivities.
Materials and Methods: A monocentric retrospective descriptive observational study was conducted on patients in the Allergology and Clinical Immunology Department of the Tours University Hospital from January 2021 to January 2022, inclusive, for an opinion concerning a suspected allergy to SARS-COV-2 vaccines.
Results: Out of 814 consultations regarding SARS-COV-2 vaccination, 171 patients were suspected of having hypersensitivity to SARS-COV-2 vaccines. Eleven patients had a history of reaction to drugs containing excipients in common with the SARS-COV-2 vaccine. Of these, 148 (86.5%) had a reaction after the first injection, 10 patients (5.8%) after a second injection, and 2 patients (1.2%) after a third injection. Of the 171 patients, 47 had an indication to be tested, but 7 did not present for testing. Testing for SARS-COV-2 vaccine excipients or the SARS-COV-2 vaccine was positive in 4 patients. For 2 of these patients, a delayed allergy to Comirnaty and an immediate allergy to PEG3350 and Comirnaty were retained. For the other 2 patients, a diagnosis of immediate non-allergic hypersensitivity was retained.
Conclusion and Discussion: In 2021, the management of the 814 notifications led to the removal of contraindications to SARS-COV-2 vaccination in most cases, to the rapid identification of patients truly suspected of having an allergy, and to offering them appropriate management.
