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Table 6 Risk of serious complications (S.C.) and death from smallpox re-vaccinations for ages greater than 1, 1963–1968

From: Risks of serious complications and death from smallpox vaccination: A systematic review of the United States experience, 1963–1968

Complication and studies

Number vaccinated

S.C. No.

Deaths No.

Risk of complication per million (95% C.I.)a

Risk of death per million (95% C.I.)a

Case fatality risk per hundred (95% C.I.)a

Post-vaccinial encephalitis

         

   Neff 1967a

7,775,000

0

0

0.0

(0.0, 0.5)

0.0

(0.0, 0.5)

n/a

n/a

   Neff 1967b

370,000

0

0

0.0

(0.0, 10.0)

0.0

(0.0, 10.0)

n/a

n/a

   Lane 1969

8,574,000

0

0

0.0

(0.0, 0.4)

0.0

(0.0, 0.4)

n/a

n/a

   Lane 1970

998,000

2

0

2.0

(0.2, 7.3)

0.0

(0.0, 3.7)

0.0

(0.0, 84.2)

   Mellin 1970

166,000

0

0

0.0

(0.0, 22.2)

0.0

(0.0, 22.2)

n/a

n/a

   Ratner 1970

465,926

0

0

0.0

(0.0, 7.9)

0.0

(0.0, 7.9)

n/a

n/a

   Neff 1972

433

0

0

0.0

(0.0, 8483)

0.0

(0.0, 8483)

n/a

n/a

   Summary

18,349,359

2

0

0.1

(0.01, 0.4)

0.0

(0.0, 0.2)

0.0

(0, 84.2)

Vaccinia necrosum

         

   Neff 1967a

7,775,000

2

0

0.3

(0.03, 0.9)

0.0

(0.0, 0.5)

0.0

(0.0, 84.2)

   Neff 1967b

370,000

0

0

0.0

(0.0, 10.0)

0.0

(0.0, 10.0)

n/a

n/a

   Lane 1969

8,574,000

6

2

0.7

(0.3, 1.5)

0.2

(0.03, 0.8)

33.3

(4.3, 77.7)

   Lane 1970

998,000

3

0

3.0

(0.6, 8.8)

0.0

(0.0, 3.7)

0.0

(0.0, 70.8)

   Mellin 1970

166,000

1

0

6.0

(0.2, 33.6)

0.0

(0.0, 22.2)

0.0

(0.0, 97.5)

   Ratner 1970

465,926

0

0

0.0

(0.0, 7.9)

0.0

(0.0, 7.9)

n/a

n/a

   Neff 1972

433

0

0

0.0

(0.0, 8483)

0.0

(0.0, 8483)

n/a

n/a

   Summary

18,349,359

12

2

0.7

(0.3, 1.1)

0.1

(0.01, 0.4)

16.7

(2.1, 48.4)

Eczema vaccinatum

         

   Neff 1967a

7,775,000

3

0

0.4

(0.1, 1.1)

0.0

(0.0, 0.5)

0.0

(0.0, 70.8)

   Neff 1967b

370,000

5

0

13.5

(4.4, 31.5)

0.0

(0.0, 10.0)

0.0

(0.0, 52.2)

   Lane 1969

8,574,000

8

0

0.9

(0.4, 1.8)

0.0

(0.0, 0.4)

0.0

(0.0, 36.9)

   Lane 1970

998,000

3

0

3.0

(0.6, 8.8)

0.0

(0.0, 3.7)

0.0

(0.0, 70.8)

   Mellin 1970

166,000

0

0

0.0

(0.0, 22.2)

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

   Ratner 1970

465,926

0

0

0.0

(0.0, 7.9)

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

   Neff 1972

433

0

0

0.0

(0.0, 8483)

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

   Summary

18,349,359

19

0

1.0

(0.6, 1.6)

0.0

(0.0, 0.2)

0.0

(0.0, 17.6)

Generalized vaccinia

         

   Neff 1967a

7,775,000

3

0

0.4

(0.1, 1.1)

n/c

n/c

n/c

n/c

   Neff 1967b

370,000

1

0

2.7

(0.1, 15.1)

n/c

n/c

n/c

n/c

   Lane 1969

8,574,000

10

0

1.2

(0.6, 2.1)

n/c

n/c

n/c

n/c

   Lane 1970

998,000

9

0

9.0

(4.1, 17.1)

n/c

n/c

n/c

n/c

   Mellin 1970

166,000

1

0

6.0

(0.2, 33.6)

n/c

n/c

n/c

n/c

   Ratner 1970

465,926

1

0

2.1

(0.05, 12.0)

n/c

n/c

n/c

n/c

   Neff 1972

433

0

0

0.0

(0.0, 8483)

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

   Summary

18,349,359

25

0

1.4

(0.9, 2.0)

n/c

n/c

n/c

n/c

Accidental inoculation

         

   Neff 1967a

7,775,000

8

0

1.0

(0.4, 2.0)

n/c

n/c

n/c

n/c

   Neff 1967b

370,000

250

0

675.7

(594, 765)

n/c

n/c

n/c

n/c

   Lane 1969

8,574,000

7

0

0.8

(0.3, 1.7)

n/c

n/c

n/c

n/c

   Lane 1970

998,000

42

0

42.1

(30.3, 56.9)

n/c

n/c

n/c

n/c

   Mellin 1970

166,000

3

0

18.1

(3.7, 52.8)

n/c

n/c

n/c

n/c

   Ratner 1970

465,926

1

0

2.1

(0.05, 12.0)

n/c

n/c

n/c

n/c

   Neff 1972

433

0

0

0.0

(0.0, 8483)

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

   Summary

18,349,359

311

0

16.9

(15.1, 18.9)

n/c

n/c

n/c

n/c

  1. n/a = not assessable, n/c = not calculated aExact confidence intervals based on the binomial distribution