Diffuse Vasculitis and Death after Hyperimmunization with Pertussis Vaccine

REPEATED immunization in man is becoming an ever increasing worldwide practice. Complications after these repeated antigenic challenges have generally been minimal and negligible in human beings. Severe complications have been observed, however, in animals. Amyloidosis in horses receiving intensive immunizations with diphtheria toxin,1 vasculitis, glomerulonephritis and granuloma of the spleen after repeated injections of horse serum in rabbits2 and joint as well as cardiac valvular lesions after injections of the polysaccharide from Klebsiella pneumoniae 3 have been the chief complications. Reports of complications in man are scarce. Recently, Peeler, Kadull and Cluff4 reported on a careful analysis of a group of . . .