Fussy asked
Does the shingles shot (Shingrix) pose a risk for someone with egg allergies?
At a glance
- Shingrix does not contain egg proteins and is safe to have administered if you have an egg allergy.
Answer
Shingrix, the recommended vaccine for the prevention of shingles according to the CDC, is safe to get if you have an egg allergy.[1] No component of the vaccine contains egg proteins.[2]
Furthermore, the prescribing information for Shingrix does not list an egg allergy as a contraindication, or even as a precaution, to getting the vaccine, so you can feel comfortable having it administered.
Components Of Shingrix
The Shingrix vaccine contains two components:
- Shingles antigen (i.e. varicella zoster virus surface glycoprotein E (gE) antigen)
- AS01B adjuvant
The shingles antigen (also referred to as the gE antigen) confers the immunity to shingles while the AS01B adjuvant is designed to increase immune responses to the antigen, making it more effective.[3]
Unlike many flu vaccines, which are manufactured using an egg-based production process, the antigen contained in the Shingrix vaccine is obtained by culturing genetically engineered Chinese Hamster Ovary cells.[4]
The adjuvant in Shingrix, AS01B, also contains no egg proteins. It is derived from Salmonella minnesota and an extract from Quillaja saponaria Molina (also known as soapbark).
The following is an excerpt from the prescribing information for Shingrix describing where the components of the vaccine are derived from:
References
- ^ Shingrix Vaccination Report. Centers for Disease Control
- ^ Shingrix Prescribing Information. Shingrix.com
- ^ What Is a Vaccine Adjuvant? NIH
- ^ How Influenza (Flu) Vaccines Are Made Centers for Disease Control
- ^ Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines, 2018-19 Centers for Disease Control
