Measles shots trigger allergic reactions in latest vaccines scandal

In the latest vaccine scandal to emerge on the mainland in the past month, more than a dozen children given measles vaccines in Jiangxi last year developed severe adverse reactions which, when treated, led to even more complications.

The children developed severe symptoms, mostly allergic purpura - an inflammation of the small arterial vessels - after the injections, the Dongguan Times reported yesterday. It said some even developed nephritis, or inflammation of the kidneys.

Jiangxi health authorities confirmed the diseases were related to the vaccine shots, but the incidents were never revealed to the public.

It was not clear how many children were affected, but the newspaper said 15 families obtained official diagnosis letters from the Jiangxi Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. It cited an unidentified source saying the real number was more than 30.

The province was also confirmed last week to have administered 8,600 shots of substandard rabies vaccine.

Mainland product safety fears have resurfaced in the past month after a Beijing newspaper reported that improperly stored vaccines might have caused four deaths and 74 illnesses among children in Shanxi. An investigation by the Ministry of Health found that the vaccines were not to blame for the deaths but the parents of affected children remain unconvinced.