Question
It is important to understand the different meanings of an adverse event following immunization (or AEFI) and an adverse vaccine reaction. Can you tell the difference? Select the right answers:
| A. An adverse vaccine reaction is a vaccine-related event caused or precipitated by a vaccine when given correctly. | |
| B. An adverse vaccine reaction can be caused by errors in the administration of the vaccine. | |
| C. An adverse vaccine reaction can be the result of unrelated coincidence. | |
| D. An adverse event following immunization can be due to all of the causes stated in A, B, and C. |
Answers A and D are correct.
- An AEFI is any adverse event
Adverse event following immunization (AEFI)Any untoward medical occurrence which follows immunization and which does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the usage of the vaccine. The adverse event may be any unfavourable or unintended sign, abnormal laboratory finding, symptom or disease. observed following immunization. Some may be due to the vaccine, some due to error in the administration of the vaccine, and some are the result of unrelated coincidence.
- An adverse vaccine reactionVaccine reaction (also referred to as adverse vaccine reaction or adverse reaction)A classification of AEFI referring to events caused or precipitated by the vaccine when given correctly, caused by the inherent properties of the vaccine. is a subset of AEFI. It refers to a vaccine-related event caused or precipitated by a vaccine when given correctly. Note that the rate of adverse vaccine reactions is very much lower than the rate of health-damaging complications resulting from the disease in unvaccinated individuals.