Introduction : The Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) provides free vaccines against 12 preventable diseases to children across India. Tamil Nadu has achieved high immunization coverage of 90.4%, according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS). Monitoring Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) is critical, with Tamil Nadu reporting 7,580 AEFI cases in 2020-2021, with around 0.2% of these involving serious adverse events. Fever with seizures, affecting 2-5% of children globally, may follow immunization, though they generally carry a low risk of long-term complications. Accurate diagnosis is crucial to prevent mismanagement. Hence, this study aims to assess investigative practices for fever with seizures post-immunization and identify areas for improvement. To estimate the proportion of children admitted with fever with seizures following routine immunization from January to December 2023 in Tamil Nadu and to assess the investigative work-up of children admitted with fever and seizures following routine immunization in Tamil Nadu
Methods : This descriptive cross-sectional study uses secondary data of all cases of fever with seizures reported as AEFI in the SAFE-VAC portal in Tamil Nadu during 2023. The collected data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS version 29, with results presented in tables and graphs.
RESULTS: Most cases (42.9%) occurred in children aged 1 to 1.5 years, with 54.6% being male. The observed proportion of cases (4.97%) was lower than the expected rate of 10 AEFI cases per 100,000 doses. Haematological and metabolic screenings were commonly performed, while infectious disease tests and advanced imaging were underutilized, suggesting a need for more tailored diagnostic approaches.
CONCLUSION: The study provides insights into the epidemiology and investigative practices for post-immunization fever with seizures in Tamil Nadu. Although comprehensive diagnostic approaches were observed, there is room for standardization and improved protocol adherence.