The study, “Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia in a Renal Transplant Patient Following Seasonal Influenza Vaccination,” was published in the journal Case Reports in Hematology.
Autoimmune hemolytic anemia, or AIHA, occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own red blood cells, causing a reduction in the number of these cells and leading to hemolytic anemia.
Symptoms may include weakness, fatigue, and jaundice. Cold agglutinin disease (CAD) is one of the most common forms of AIHA, marked by the formation of autoantibodies against red blood cells formed upon exposure to cold temperatures.
AIHA can have an unknown origin or result from an underlying disease or medication. Vaccines have been associated with triggering this condition.
This report described the case of a man, age 58, who received a seasonal flu vaccine (quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine IIV4) as part of routine care.