ACAAI recommends flu vaccine for children with egg allergies, asthma

Influenza vaccine is safe for children with egg allergies, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and it recommends the vaccine for those children, along with those who have asthma.

“Because the influenza vaccine is grown in eggs, it contains trace amounts of egg,” Michael Foggs, MD, ACAAI president, said in a press release. “Despite that, we know that administration is safe, and children with egg allergies should be vaccinated. We recommend that, as with any vaccine, all personnel facilities administering flu shots have procedures in place for the rare instance of anaphylaxis.”

Michael Foggs

Research studies published during the past several years have demonstrated that thousands of children with egg allergies, including those with life-threatening anaphylaxis to eating eggs, have safely received an injectable influenza vaccine as a single dose without reaction, the release said.

Although flu season usually peaks between December and February, the CDC has reported that it can start as early as October. More than 21,000 children aged younger than 5 years are hospitalized annually due to flu, the release said, and CDC data indicate only 55% of children aged 5 to 17 years are vaccinated.

Children with asthma are not more likely to develop influenza, but it can be more serious for them, including patients with mild asthma, the release said. Influenza can increase airway and lung inflammation in these patients, which can trigger asthma attacks, worsen the condition and lead to pneumonia.

“Children with asthma really need to get the flu vaccine,” Foggs said. “Asthma sufferers are among the most vulnerable because the flu compromises their airways even further than they already are.”