Introduction
Vaccines are widely used in human and veterinary medicine as an effective and economic method to control viral and bacterial diseases. Although generally considered safe, vaccination is occasionally accompanied by adverse effects. Many adverse effects related to vaccination are acute and transient, for example, fever, swelling at the site of inoculation, and allergic reactions. In contrast, reports of autoimmune disease following vaccination are relatively rare. In most instances, it is difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain that vaccination caused or precipitated the autoimmune disease. In a recent report, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in people concluded that there is a causal relation between diptheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination and arthritis, but no evidence of a causal relationship between these vaccinations and other autoimmune diseases such as autoimmune hemolytic anemia and Guillain-Barré syndrome (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1996). Cohen and Shoenfeld (1996) also stated that the relation between vaccination and autoimmunity is obscure. They added that there is a need for experimental studies to address this subject (Cohen and Shoenfeld, 1996).
There has been a growing concern among dog owners and veterinarians that the high frequency with which dogs are being vaccinated may lead to autoimmune and other immune-mediated disorders (Dodds, 1988; Smith, 1995). The evidence for this is largely anecdotal and based on case reports. A recent study observed a statistically significant temporal relationship between vaccination and subsequent development of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) in dogs (Duval and Giger, 1996). Although this does not necessarily indicate a causal relationship, it is the strongest evidence to date for vaccine-induced autoimmune disease in the dog.
We are investigating the effect of vaccination on dogs in a series of experimental studies. The goals of these experiments are (1) to determine if vaccination of dogs affects the function of the immune system and, in particular, if vaccination results in autoimmunity; (2) to delineate the mechanisms by which vaccination results in autoimmunity if this occurs; and (3) to develop alternative vaccination strategies that will not be accompanied by adverse effects. The issue that is the focus of this and ongoing studies in our laboratory is somewhat different from that examined by Duval and Giger (1996). In their study, a statistically significant temporal relationship between the onset of IMHA and prior vaccination suggested that vaccination caused IMHA or accelerated preexisting IMHA in adult dogs. Although not documented, it is likely that these middle-aged dogs had received multiple vaccines prior to the last vaccination. Why this last vaccination suddenly triggered the onset of IMHA is unknown. In contrast, our studies examine if vaccination of dogs at a young age causes alterations in the immune system, including the production of autoantibodies, that could eventually lead to autoimmune disease in susceptible individuals. In this paper, we report on the findings of the first study in which a group of vaccinated dogs and a group of unvaccinated dogs were followed for 14 weeks after the first vaccination …
Vaccines are widely used in human and veterinary medicine as an effective and economic method to control viral and bacterial diseases. Although generally considered safe, vaccination is occasionally accompanied by adverse effects. Many adverse effects related to vaccination are acute and transient, for example, fever, swelling at the site of inoculation, and allergic reactions. In contrast, reports of autoimmune disease following vaccination are relatively rare. In most instances, it is difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain that vaccination caused or precipitated the autoimmune disease. In a recent report, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in people concluded that there is a causal relation between diptheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination and arthritis, but no evidence of a causal relationship between these vaccinations and other autoimmune diseases such as autoimmune hemolytic anemia and Guillain-Barré syndrome (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1996). Cohen and Shoenfeld (1996) also stated that the relation between vaccination and autoimmunity is obscure. They added that there is a need for experimental studies to address this subject (Cohen and Shoenfeld, 1996).
There has been a growing concern among dog owners and veterinarians that the high frequency with which dogs are being vaccinated may lead to autoimmune and other immune-mediated disorders (Dodds, 1988; Smith, 1995). The evidence for this is largely anecdotal and based on case reports. A recent study observed a statistically significant temporal relationship between vaccination and subsequent development of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) in dogs (Duval and Giger, 1996). Although this does not necessarily indicate a causal relationship, it is the strongest evidence to date for vaccine-induced autoimmune disease in the dog.
We are investigating the effect of vaccination on dogs in a series of experimental studies. The goals of these experiments are (1) to determine if vaccination of dogs affects the function of the immune system and, in particular, if vaccination results in autoimmunity; (2) to delineate the mechanisms by which vaccination results in autoimmunity if this occurs; and (3) to develop alternative vaccination strategies that will not be accompanied by adverse effects. The issue that is the focus of this and ongoing studies in our laboratory is somewhat different from that examined by Duval and Giger (1996). In their study, a statistically significant temporal relationship between the onset of IMHA and prior vaccination suggested that vaccination caused IMHA or accelerated preexisting IMHA in adult dogs. Although not documented, it is likely that these middle-aged dogs had received multiple vaccines prior to the last vaccination. Why this last vaccination suddenly triggered the onset of IMHA is unknown. In contrast, our studies examine if vaccination of dogs at a young age causes alterations in the immune system, including the production of autoantibodies, that could eventually lead to autoimmune disease in susceptible individuals. In this paper, we report on the findings of the first study in which a group of vaccinated dogs and a group of unvaccinated dogs were followed for 14 weeks after the first vaccination …
Reference:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0065351999800561
