A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention underscores the safety of vaccines.

According to the study, anaphylaxis [an·a·phy·lax·is]… a serious, systemic allergic reaction… occurred only 33 times out of the 25 million vaccination cases studied between 2009 and 2011.

Anaphylaxis is an extreme allergic reaction that can be life-threatening. In anaphylaxis, the body overreacts to a substance that is not actually harmful, or should be only minimally harmful. Anaphylaxis triggers vary by person. Some well-known ones include allergy injections, a specific food or venom from an insect sting.

During anaphylaxis, the airways begin to constrict, which impairs breathing. The heart often begins to slow and a person may feel nauseated or light-headed. Vomiting or a skin rash may be part of the reaction. Left unchecked, anaphylaxis can cut off breathing entirely, causing death.

Thankfully, administering specific medications to halt the out-of-control immune system and aid in breathing often stops this dangerous reaction in its tracks.

Most of the anaphylaxis sufferers identified through the C-D-C study on vaccine data had a history of allergies, asthma or anaphylaxis, and no one died from the reaction. One person was hospitalized.

Data on the 33 cases did not reveal any significant trends in anaphylaxis according to gender or age.

Given this data from the C-D-C, it’s safe to say that vaccines are not a major trigger of serious allergic reaction among the general population. That’s one more reason to make sure you and your loved ones take advantage of these marvels of modern medical science to protect yourselves against harmful diseases.