VACCINES AND OPTIC NEURITIS – CONSEQUENCE OR COINCIDENCE?
- Justyna Roszkiewicz, Poland
Abstract
Background and Aims
The aim of this study is to presents a thorough analysis of vaccination-related optic neuritis.
Methods
The cases of post-vaccination optic neuritis were extracted from PubMed and Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) databases. The time interval between vaccination and the first symptoms of the disease, type of the vaccine used, treatment and its outcome were analyzed.
Results
585 cases of vaccination-related optic neuritis were identified. The majority concerned isolated optic neuritis (62%), although numerous reports of optic neuritis as the first symptom of further demyelinating disease were also encountered. Influenza vaccine was the leading cause of isolated optic neuritis, hepatitis B vaccine was mostly associated with diseases entailing further demyelination. Moreover, the time interval between vaccine delivery and the first symptoms of the disease was shorter in cases of isolated optic neuritis in comparison to optic neuritis in the course of the central nervous system demyelinating diseases.
Conclusions
Although infrequently, optic neuritis may be triggered by vaccination. Physicians should be aware of this autoimmune phenomenon, performing detailed immunological screening should be encouraged in every optic neuritis patient.