According to the CDC, more than 50 percent of meningococcal serogroup B (BEXSERO or TRUMENBA) vaccine recipients experience mild side effects that may include pain, redness, and swelling to the injection site, headache, joint or muscle pain, fever or chills, diarrhea or nausea, and fatigue. The CDC also warns that persons receiving any vaccine may collapse (faint), experience a severe allergic reaction, and even serious injury and death.
Adverse events reported by Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics (GlaxoSmithKline) in the pre-licensing clinical trials of BEXSERO vaccine included: redness, pain, and swelling at the injection site; muscle and joint pain; fatigue; nausea; headache; fever; nasopharyngitis; upper respiratory infection; anaphylaxis; juvenile arthritis; acute thyroiditis; bacterial meningitis; appendicitis, muscular weakness, generalized and submandibular lymphadenopathy, rhabdomyolysis; septic shock; pneumonia; and generalized Tonic-Clonic seizure. Four deaths were reported during pre-licensing clinical trials, however, study investigators declared them to be unrelated to vaccination. These deaths included suicide, drowning, motor vehicle accident, and the death of a 7-week-old infant from post-natal respiratory complications. The infant’s mother had received her last dose of the vaccine approximately 9-10 months prior to the infant’s birth. Adverse events reported following FDA approval of BEXSERO have included: vasovagal responses to injection; syncope; allergic reaction; rash; eye swelling; extensive swelling of the vaccinated limb; blisters around or at the injection site; and persistent injection site nodule.
In the United Kingdom, where BEXSERO (4CMenB) has been routinely administered in a three-dose series to infants at 8 weeks, 16 weeks, and between 12-13 months since September 2015, researchers have found that fever related hospitalizations within three days of vaccination have increased significantly when the vaccine is administered at 8 and 16 weeks.
Adverse events reported by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals (Pfizer) in the pre-licensing clinical trials of TRUMENBA vaccine included: pain, swelling, and redness at the injection site; headache; fever; vomiting and diarrhea; fatigue; chills; muscle and joint pain; nervous system disorders; ligament strain; oropharyngeal pain; eye disorders; severe vertigo, chills, and headache; severe vomiting with fever; anaphylaxis; hydrocephalus; post-infectious arthritis; deep vein thrombosis; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; contact dermatitis; decreased appetite; migraine; asthma; hypothyroidism; scoliosis; Crohn’s disease; exacerbation of psoriasis; celiac disease; exacerbation of celiac disease; autoimmune thyroiditis; acute idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP); Sydenham’s chorea; IgA nephropathy; hyperthyroidism; rheumatoid arthritis; Bell’s Palsy; lymphoid tissue hyperplasia; psychiatric disorders; appendicitis; cellulitis; depression; thymic disorder; extremity weakness; appendicitis; nodular fasciitis; epiphysiolysis; bipolar disorder; leg and wrist fracture; abdominal pain; hemorrhoids; and biliary dyskinesia. One death resulting from a motor vehicle accident was reported during pre-licensing clinical trials. Adverse events reported following FDA approval of TRUMENBA vaccine have included: syncope; hypersensitivity reactions; and anaphylactic reactions.
