P. M. Mannucci
Abstract
Haematological complications caused by autoimmune mechanisms which are associated with haemorrhages, thrombosis, or both, have been described after vaccinations against various infectious, viral or bacterial diseases. The most frequent examples occur after vaccines administered to young children (e.g. against measles/mumps/chickenpox/rubella), after vaccination against diphtheria/tetanus/whooping cough, but also in adults after polio, hepatitis B, influenza and pneumococcus vaccines. Although rare in absolute terms, the most frequent complications are autoimmune thrombocytopenia accompanied by haemorrhagic manifestations.
Even rarer complications include acquired haemophilia A, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and cytopenia. These complications are thought to be attributable to the dysregulation of the innate and/or adaptive immune system, as a result of signals of damage associated with inflammation induced by the vaccines and antigenic molecular mimesis mechanisms following the activation of autoreactive B and T cells that were dormant prior to vaccination.
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