Vaccine egg allergy

Only a few vaccines are produced using chicken embryos (e.g. those against influenza, yellow fever). In principle, vaccines in which the viruses have been grown on chicken fibroblasts(measles-mumps-rubella, rabies, TBE) contain at best barely detectable traces of chicken protein without allergizing potency. International studies show that even children with anamnestic known chicken egg protein allergy can be vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella without any problems or danger. Chicken egg protein allergy is no longer mentioned as a contraindication in international and national guidelines. Only children with clinically very severe chicken egg protein allergy (e.g. anaphylactic shock after consumption of the smallest amounts of chicken egg protein) should be vaccinated under special protective measures and subsequent observation (if necessary in hospital).

1. Communication of the Robert Koch Institute (retrieved on 25.1.2021).

2. Turner PJ et al (2015) Safety of live attenuated influenza vaccine in young people with egg allergy: multicentre prospective cohort study. BMJ 351:h6291.