Is accidental oral polio vaccine overdose harmful?

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to assess the safety of accidental oral poliovaccine [OPV] overdose. The study included 29 children, less than 5 years old, who received an overdose of OPV. 15 of them were managed by gastric lavage and were followed up for 2 months to record any hazards of OPV overdose. The results revealed that most of the children who are exposed to accidental overdose of OPV were aged 12 months and more [85.7%] and females [67.9%]. 71.4% of the children had received more than three doses of OPV essential vaccination. Only two signs appeared during the follow up period; the first one is fever and appeared during the first two weeks from exposure to overdose and the second is cough and appeared in the third and fourth weeks after exposure. It was concluded that no specific hazards were recorded and OPV overdose is safe among the previously vaccinated children, whether gastric lavage is done or not