Safety comparison of mRNA, viral vector, and inactivated Covid-19 vaccines: incidence of adverse events following primary and booster doses among medical professionals in Malaysia

Abstract Background This study aimed to examine adverse events following first, second, and booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines in Malaysia. Methods This was a prospective longitudinal cohort study conducted between September 2021 to September 2022. Recipients who received different Covid-19 vaccines...

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Main Authors: Rekha Prabhu, Girish Prabhu, Mila Nu Nu Htay, Ashwathy Varadarajan Thundakattil, Soe Moe, Sabyasachi Das
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:BMC Infectious Diseases
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-025-11254-1
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author Rekha Prabhu
Girish Prabhu
Mila Nu Nu Htay
Ashwathy Varadarajan Thundakattil
Soe Moe
Sabyasachi Das
author_facet Rekha Prabhu
Girish Prabhu
Mila Nu Nu Htay
Ashwathy Varadarajan Thundakattil
Soe Moe
Sabyasachi Das
author_sort Rekha Prabhu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background This study aimed to examine adverse events following first, second, and booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines in Malaysia. Methods This was a prospective longitudinal cohort study conducted between September 2021 to September 2022. Recipients who received different Covid-19 vaccines (Comirnaty, Vaxzevria, and CoronaVac) completed a self-report questionnaire of adverse events on days 1, 2, 4, and 7 following their primary (first and second) and booster (third) vaccinations. Results A total of 1283 respondents had completed the questionnaire survey. The most frequent adverse events among Comirnaty recipients (n = 271) following the first dose were pain (87.4%), fatigue (56.9%), myalgia (37.2%), and fever (17.5%), which further increased to 92.1%, 72.8%, 51·2%, and 48%, respectively, following the booster. The most frequent adverse events following the first dose of Vaxzevria (n = 90) were pain (84.4%), fever (76.7%), headache (58.9%) and myalgia (53.3%). Adverse events were reduced after the second dose of Vaxzevria but sharply increased after the booster. The most common adverse events among CoronaVac recipients (1st dose) were pain at the injection site (69.1%), fatigue (49.1%) and increased hunger (34.5%). However, adverse events subsequently decreased after the second and booster doses. The average number of adverse events was highest for Vaxzevria after the first dose (n = 6) and booster dose (n = 6) and lowest for CoronaVac after the first (n = 3), second (n = 2) and booster doses (n = 2). Conclusion The incidence of adverse events following the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine was highest among Vaxzevria recipients. Adverse events following Comirnaty vaccine increased gradually from primary to booster dose, whereas recipients with CoronaVac showed subsequent lesser adverse events following primary and booster doses.
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spelling doaj-art-5bb9b94943564fa59d14db2e2cf8693e2025-08-20T03:04:22ZengBMCBMC Infectious Diseases1471-23342025-07-0125111910.1186/s12879-025-11254-1Safety comparison of mRNA, viral vector, and inactivated Covid-19 vaccines: incidence of adverse events following primary and booster doses among medical professionals in MalaysiaRekha Prabhu0Girish Prabhu1Mila Nu Nu Htay2Ashwathy Varadarajan Thundakattil3Soe Moe4Sabyasachi Das5Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Manipal University College MalaysiaDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Manipal University College MalaysiaDepartment of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Manipal University College MalaysiaDepartment of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Manipal University College MalaysiaDepartment of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Manipal University College MalaysiaDepartment of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Manipal University College MalaysiaAbstract Background This study aimed to examine adverse events following first, second, and booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines in Malaysia. Methods This was a prospective longitudinal cohort study conducted between September 2021 to September 2022. Recipients who received different Covid-19 vaccines (Comirnaty, Vaxzevria, and CoronaVac) completed a self-report questionnaire of adverse events on days 1, 2, 4, and 7 following their primary (first and second) and booster (third) vaccinations. Results A total of 1283 respondents had completed the questionnaire survey. The most frequent adverse events among Comirnaty recipients (n = 271) following the first dose were pain (87.4%), fatigue (56.9%), myalgia (37.2%), and fever (17.5%), which further increased to 92.1%, 72.8%, 51·2%, and 48%, respectively, following the booster. The most frequent adverse events following the first dose of Vaxzevria (n = 90) were pain (84.4%), fever (76.7%), headache (58.9%) and myalgia (53.3%). Adverse events were reduced after the second dose of Vaxzevria but sharply increased after the booster. The most common adverse events among CoronaVac recipients (1st dose) were pain at the injection site (69.1%), fatigue (49.1%) and increased hunger (34.5%). However, adverse events subsequently decreased after the second and booster doses. The average number of adverse events was highest for Vaxzevria after the first dose (n = 6) and booster dose (n = 6) and lowest for CoronaVac after the first (n = 3), second (n = 2) and booster doses (n = 2). Conclusion The incidence of adverse events following the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine was highest among Vaxzevria recipients. Adverse events following Comirnaty vaccine increased gradually from primary to booster dose, whereas recipients with CoronaVac showed subsequent lesser adverse events following primary and booster doses.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-025-11254-1Covid-19 vaccinesAdverse eventsBooster dosemRNA vaccineViral vectored vaccineInactivated viral vaccine
spellingShingle Rekha Prabhu
Girish Prabhu
Mila Nu Nu Htay
Ashwathy Varadarajan Thundakattil
Soe Moe
Sabyasachi Das
Safety comparison of mRNA, viral vector, and inactivated Covid-19 vaccines: incidence of adverse events following primary and booster doses among medical professionals in Malaysia
BMC Infectious Diseases
Covid-19 vaccines
Adverse events
Booster dose
mRNA vaccine
Viral vectored vaccine
Inactivated viral vaccine
title Safety comparison of mRNA, viral vector, and inactivated Covid-19 vaccines: incidence of adverse events following primary and booster doses among medical professionals in Malaysia
title_full Safety comparison of mRNA, viral vector, and inactivated Covid-19 vaccines: incidence of adverse events following primary and booster doses among medical professionals in Malaysia
title_fullStr Safety comparison of mRNA, viral vector, and inactivated Covid-19 vaccines: incidence of adverse events following primary and booster doses among medical professionals in Malaysia
title_full_unstemmed Safety comparison of mRNA, viral vector, and inactivated Covid-19 vaccines: incidence of adverse events following primary and booster doses among medical professionals in Malaysia
title_short Safety comparison of mRNA, viral vector, and inactivated Covid-19 vaccines: incidence of adverse events following primary and booster doses among medical professionals in Malaysia
title_sort safety comparison of mrna viral vector and inactivated covid 19 vaccines incidence of adverse events following primary and booster doses among medical professionals in malaysia
topic Covid-19 vaccines
Adverse events
Booster dose
mRNA vaccine
Viral vectored vaccine
Inactivated viral vaccine
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-025-11254-1
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