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Data source: VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System)

Data through 2026 · Updated quarterly

Built by TheDataProject.ai · © 2026 VaccineWatch

Important: VAERS accepts reports of adverse events following vaccination. For any given report, there is no certainty that the reported event was caused by the vaccine. Reports may contain information that is incomplete, inaccurate, coincidental, or unverifiable. Most reports to VAERS are voluntary, which means they are subject to biases. This data cannot be used to determine if vaccines cause or contribute to adverse events.

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Important: VAERS reports alone cannot determine if a vaccine caused an adverse event. Reports may contain incomplete, inaccurate, or unverified information. Correlation does not equal causation.

  1. Home
  2. Symptoms
  3. Otitis media

Otitis media

2,694 total reports21.8% serious outcomes
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Otitis media appears in 2,694 VAERS reports across all vaccines. Of these, 40 reports also mentioned death and 548 involved hospitalization. The severity rate (deaths + hospitalizations as a percentage of reports) is 21.8%. The top vaccines associated with this symptom are Hib, MMR, Polio (OPV). Remember: VAERS reports show temporal association, not causation.

2,694
Total Reports
40
Deaths
548
Hospitalizations
21.8
Severity Rate
% serious outcomes

About Otitis media Reports

Otitis media has been reported 2,694 times in VAERS from 1990 to 2026.

Of these reports, 40 were associated with death (1.48%) and 548 involved hospitalization.

The overall serious outcome rate (death or hospitalization) for reports mentioning Otitis media is 21.8%.

Understanding Otitis media in VAERS

•Temporal association only: These reports show Otitis media occurred after vaccination, not necessarily because of vaccination.
•Background rates matter: Many symptoms occur naturally at baseline rates in the population, unrelated to vaccination.
•Reporting variability: Medical terminology may be used differently by various healthcare providers and over time.
•Investigation needed: High-frequency reports may trigger further epidemiological studies to determine causation.

What This Data Shows

Most Associated Vaccines: The vaccines most frequently mentioned in reports with Otitis media. This may reflect usage patterns, not causation.
Severity Patterns: The percentage of reports that involve serious outcomes can help prioritize safety investigations.
Reporting Trends: Changes in reporting frequency over time may reflect increased awareness, media attention, or actual safety signals.

Most Associated Vaccines

1. Hib1,217
2. MMR1,145
3. Polio (OPV)809
4. DTP683
5. DTaP569
6. Chickenpox (Varivax)529
7. Pneumococcal (PCV7)518
8. Hepatitis B461
9. Polio (IPV)351
10. DTPHIB253
View all vaccines →

Detailed Breakdowns

Otitis media × Hib →Otitis media × MMR →Otitis media × Polio (OPV) →

Quick Facts

Reports:2,694
Deaths:40
Hospitalizations:548
Mortality Rate:1.48%
Severity Rate:21.8%

Related Analysis

Most Common Symptoms Analysis →Serious Outcomes Analysis →When Do Side Effects Start? →Recovery Rates Analysis →

Explore Further

Compare with Other SymptomsRead Symptoms Analysis

Data Source

This data comes from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), jointly managed by CDC and FDA.