In
a 1968 survey of complications in the United States,
there were approximately 2 cases per million vaccinations.
These occurred roughly at the same rate in all age groups.
Cases among young children in 1968 were due to congenital
immune deficiency, the condition only being identified
when their vaccinial infection failed to heal.
Adults experienced progressive vaccinia almost always
as a result of an immunosuppressive disease (e.g. leukemia,
lymphoma). Those who experienced progressive vaccinia
secondary to immunosuppressive therapy generally had
a milder form of the disease, which was often treatable.
Susceptible individuals today include those with the
conditions in the accompanying table:
Susceptible Populations
|
| Immunodeficiency (1) (congenital or acquired) | Unknown |
| Organ transplantation with immunosuppressive therapy | 184,000 (U.S.) |
| High dose corticosteroid treatment (4) | Unknown |
| Other immunosuppressive therapy (5) | Unknown |
| (1) | Particularly of cell-mediated immunity; although antibody-deficient individuals may also be at some risk. |
| (2) | It is not known if susceptibility correlates with T-cell counts. |
| (3) | Particularly those that impair cell-mediated immune function such as: |
| (4) | A variety of diseases are treated with high doses of corticosteroids. |
| (5) | Patients with a variety of diseases that require immunosuppressive therapy of a type that suppresses cell-mediated immune function. |
