Comparative Assessment of the Incidence of Fever among Prophylactic Acetaminophen-Treated and Non-Treated Infants after Pentavalent Vaccine in a Tertiary Institution in Abakaliki, Southeast Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Post-immunization fever is common and may reduce vaccine acceptance. Although prophylactic acetaminophen has been shown to decrease fever after DPT vaccination, evidence following pentavalent vaccination is limited. This study compared the incidence of fever in infants who received prophylactic acetaminophen with those who did not after pentavalent vaccination in two hospitals in Abakaliki, Southeast Nigeria. METHODOLOGY: It was an open-label, parallel-group randomized controlled trial with 160 mother-infant dyads in the intervention group and 160 mother-infant dyads in the control group, conducted in two immunization clinics in Abakaliki. The infants (cases) received acetaminophen (Emzor brand) before the vaccination. A digital thermometer was given to each mother, taught how to use it, followed by hands-on sessions. Mothers were called at intervals of 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, and 48 hours to check and report thermometer readings, and fever was defined as a reading of 37.40 °C and above. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26, and statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The mean temperatures were consistently higher in the intervention group compared to the control group. More participants reported fever at 6, 12, 18, and 24th hours in the intervention group compared to the controls. These relationships were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: This study did not demonstrate a reduction in fever among infants receiving prophylactic acetaminophen. Efforts should be geared towards proper and sustained health education on immunization for women of childbearing age.