Cellulitis at injection site: Case definition and guidelines for collection, analysis, and presentation of immunization safety data

Abstract

Because cellulitis after immunization can occur due to unsafe injection techniques or vaccine vial handling or storage, and because it can clinically be confused with other skin reactions to immunization, it is important to develop standardized diagnostic criteria to guide the appropriate public health intervention, and to improve global comparability of vaccine safety data on cellulitis. The clinical manifestations of cellulitis are therefore related to the infecting organism and the vaccination technique rather than the vaccine that was administered. Because cellulitis as an AEFI is usually a bacterial infection, it is commonly treated empirically with antimicrobial agents.