Ischaemic events and myopericarditis after smallpox vaccination

Fourteen cases of acute myopericarditis and one fatal case of acute myocardial infarction among approximately 350 000 primary smallpox vaccinees have been reported in the military vaccination programme in the United States. Four cases of myopericarditis and 6 acute ischaemic episodes, including 2 deaths following acute myocardial infarction, have also been reported from the civilian smallpox vaccination programme (among 29 600 vaccinees) (1, 2).