Before Taking This Medicine
You may not be able to receive Menactra if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to a meningococcal, diphtheria, or tetanus vaccine.
Menactra may need to be postponed or not given at all if you have:
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a severe illness with a fever or any type of infection
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a weak immune system caused by disease or by using certain medicine
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a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome or
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a history of premature birth.
You can still receive a vaccine if you’ve a minor cold.
Your doctor should determine whether you need Menactra during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Acwy Vaccination Is Free For Some People
In Victoria, immunisation against meningococcal serogroups A, C, W and Y is available for free as part of the National Immunisation Program schedule for:
- children aged 12 months
- children from 13 months to under 20 years of age, who did not have their meningococcal C vaccine at 12 months
- young people in Year 10 of secondary school
- young people not in secondary school, aged 15 to 19 years.
Young people in the 15 to 19 years age group are more likely to spread the disease to others. One in five people in this age group carry the bacteria that cause meningococcal disease. Immunisation experts have advised that immunising this age group can prevent spread to other age groups and protect the wider community.
Eligible young people who are away from school on the day the vaccine was given, or who do not attend secondary school, can attend either a local government community immunisation session, or a general practitioner to receive the free meningococcal ACWY vaccine. The GP may charge a consultation fee.
Contact your local government to find out when and where immunisation sessions are held.
- People with specified medical risk conditions can also receive free meningococcal ACWY vaccine. This includes people with:
- a poorly functioning spleen or no spleen, including sickle cell disease or other haemoglobinopathies
- defects in, or a deficiency of, a complement component, including factor H, factor D or properdin deficiency
- current or future treatment with eculizumab .
Menacwy Vaccination Of Younger Children And Adults At Increased Risk
In certain situations, younger children and adults should receive MenACWY vaccines. Some people are at increased risk for serogroup A, C, W, or Y meningococcal disease due to
- Having certain medical conditions
Those who remain at increased risk need regular booster doses.
- For children under the age of 7 years, administer a booster dose 3 years after completion of the primary series and every 5 years thereafter.
- For children 7 years old or older and adults, administer a booster dose 5 years after completion of the primary series and every 5 years thereafter.
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When Are Meningococcal Vaccines Given
Vaccination with MenACWY is recommended:
- when kids are 11 or 12 years old, with a booster given at age 16
- for teens 1318 years old who haven’t been vaccinated yet
Those who have their first dose between the ages of 1315 should get a booster dose between the ages of 1618. Teens who get their first dose after age 16 won’t need a booster dose.
Kids and teens who are at higher risk for meningococcal disease need the full series of MenACWY vaccines, even if they’re younger than 11 years old. This includes kids who:
- live in or travel to countries where the disease is common
- are present during an outbreak of the disease
- have some kinds of immune disorders. If the immune disorders are chronic, these kids also need a booster dose a few years later, depending on their age at the first dose.
The sequence and dosage depends on the child’s age, medical condition, and vaccine brand. Some types of meningococcal vaccines can be given as early as 8 weeks of age.
Kids 10 years and older with these risk factors also should get the MenB vaccine. They’ll need 2 or 3 doses depending on the brand. They might need more booster doses as long as the risk factor remains.
For those without risk factors, the decision to receive the MenB vaccine should be made together by teens, their parents, and the doctor. For them, the preferred age range is 1618 years. Usually, they need 2 doses.
What Are The Side Effects Of Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives dizziness, weakness fast heartbeats difficult breathing swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Keep track of all side effects you have. If you need a booster dose, you will need to tell the vaccination provider if the previous shot caused any side effects.
You should not receive a booster vaccine if you had a life-threatening allergic reaction after the first shot.
Becoming infected with meningococcal disease and developing meningitis is much more dangerous to your health than receiving this vaccine. Any vaccine may cause side effects but the risk of serious side effects is low.
You may feel faint after receiving this vaccine. Some people have had seizure like reactions after receiving this vaccine. Your doctor may want you to remain under observation during the first 15 minutes after the injection.
- severe weakness or unusual feeling in your arms and legs
- high fever or
Common side effects may include:
- nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
- low fever, not feeling well or
- fussiness, irritability.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report vaccine side effects to the US Department of Health and Human Services at 1 800 822 7967.
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How Effective Is Meningococcal Vaccine
Having the meningococcal vaccine does not give you lifelong protection against meningococcal disease. When you get the vaccine, it causes your body’s defence system to produce antibodies to fight against the infection if you come into contact with someone who has the illness. But, over time, the antibody levels decrease. In older children, adolescents and adults, protection is expected to last for around 5 years after vaccination.The number and quality of antibodies and how long they last depend on what type of vaccine is used, the meningococcal group covered by the vaccine and the age of the person receiving the vaccine.
Can I Get This Vaccine Privately
Yes. A variety of pharmacies, travel clinics and private GP practices offer this vaccine. Prices vary, so you may wish to contact more than one provider before making your choice. Expect to pay at least £100 per dose .
Some GP surgeries may be able to help, so you may wish to ask at your GP surgery first. However, NHS contracts may prevent GPs being able to offer private treatment to their own patients.
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Why Are Meningococcal Vaccines Recommended
Meningococcal disease is caused by a type of bacteria. It can lead to an infection of the bloodstream or meningitis, or both, and can be life-threatening if not quickly treated. The MenACWY vaccine is very effective at protecting against four strains of the bacteria, while the MenB vaccine protects against a fifth strain.
Are Both Meningococcal Vaccines Equally Effective
The MCV4, MPSV4 and MenB vaccines are about 85-90% effective in preventing meningococcal disease. There are actually several types of N meningitidis — the bacterium that causes meningococcal disease, five of which are common in the U.S. These vaccines together protect against all five of these strains.
MCV4 has not been available long enough to compare the long-term effectiveness of the two vaccines. But most experts think that MCV4 provides better, longer-lasting protection.
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When To Get Vaccinations Against Viral Causes Of Meningitis
Unfortunately, there isnt a vaccine for the most common cause of viral meningitis called non-polio enteroviruses. In rare cases, other kinds of viral infections can lead to meningitis. These viral infections have vaccines that are available in the U.S. They include:
The vaccinations for these infections all have their own schedule for when you should get them the most frequent being your yearly flu shot. Measles and mumps vaccinations are first completed around the age of six then need to be updated in adolescence and adulthood. Talk to your doctor to make sure that youre up-to-date with your vaccinations.
I Have Heard That There Is Another Menb Vaccine
Another MenB vaccine, called Trumenba, has recently been licenced for use in Europe and the UK. This vaccine has been developed by Pfizer and is licenced for use in adults and children over the age of 10. This vaccine is available through private providers.
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Are You Still At Risk Of Meningitis After The Immunisation
Yes. However, the MenC vaccine has greatly reduced the number of cases of meningitis and blood infection since it was introduced in 1999 and the MenB vaccine is expected to be as effective.
Note: other groups of meningococcus, and other germs can still cause meningitis.
You should get medical help immediately if you suspect that your child, or someone you know, has meningitis or septicaemia. The earlier the treatment of meningitis or septicaemia, the better the chance of recovery and preventing complications or death. See the separate leaflet called Meningitis. See also the separate leaflets called and Meningitis Symptoms Checklist for more details about the symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia.
How To Take Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine
Use Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
This vaccine is given as an injection into a muscle.
Meningococcal conjugate vaccine is recommended if:
- you’ve been exposed to an outbreak of meningococcal disease
- you are in the military
- you work in a laboratory and are exposed to meningococcal bacteria
- you live in a dormitory or other group housing
- you live in or travel to an area where meningococcal disease is common
- you have a medical problem affecting your spleen, or your spleen has been removed
- you have HIV
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Meningococcal Vaccine: Canadian Immunization Guide
For health professionals
Latest partial content update :
: The chapter has been updated to align with the National Advisory Committee on Immunization Statement : The Use of Bivalent Factor H Binding Protein Meningococcal Serogroup B Vaccine for the Prevention of Meningococcal B Disease.
Updates include:
MenB-fHBP vaccine may be considered as an option for use in individuals 10 years of age and older in situations when a serogroup B meningococcal vaccine should be offered:
MenB-fHBP vaccine may be considered as an option for individuals 1025 years of age who are not at higher risk of meningococcal disease than the general population, but who wish to reduce their risk of invasive serogroup B meningococcal disease.
Last complete chapter revision: May 2015
Shouldnt Meningococcal B Vaccine Be Required
CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has reviewed the available data regarding serogroup B meningococcal disease and the vaccines. At the current time, there is no routine recommendation and no statewide requirement for meningococcal B vaccination before going to college . As noted previously, adolescents and young adults may be vaccinated with a serogroup B meningococcal vaccine, preferably at 16 through 18 years of age, to provide short term protection against most strains of serogroup B meningococcal disease. This would be a decision between a healthcare provider and a patient. These policies may change as new information becomes available.
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Managing Fever After Meningococcal Acwy Immunisation
Common side effects following immunisation are usually mild and temporary . Specific treatment is not usually required.
If fever is present, drinking extra fluids and not overdressing can help.
Although routine use of paracetamol after vaccination is not recommended , if fever is present, paracetamol can be given. Check the label for the correct dose according to your childs weight or speak with your pharmacist, especially when giving paracetamol to children.
How Long Do Meningococcal Vaccines Last
Like many vaccines, the protective effects of meningococcal vaccines lessen over time. Thats why booster doses are important for teens and other people at high risk for meningococcal disease.
Experts believe that within 5 years, the effects of MenACWY vaccines in teens begin to wear off. For the MenB vaccines, its suggested that protection goes down within 1 to 2 years after getting the vaccine series.
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Inclusion And Exclusion Criteria
Studies of primary impact and effectiveness of currently available meningococcal vaccines were included, published from January 1999 March 2017, in any language. The review focused on the meningococcal polysaccharide, polysaccharide-protein conjugate, and protein sub unit vaccines, and considered any serogroup except for serogroup A. The outcomes of interest were clinically-compatible and/or laboratory-confirmed meningococcal cases and deaths due to meningococcal disease.
The following study types were excluded: case series, case reports, and randomized controlled trials and economic, cost-benefit, and modelling studies. Additionally, studies performed in Africa related to meningococcal A vaccine were excluded for not being relevant to Latin American and the Caribbean, as were those studies specifically targeting patients with sickle cell disease, HIV-infection, or conditions known to affect immune response. Others excluded were: studies that considered only the disease of selected serogroups without denominators, adverse events, or immunogenicity studies of nasopharyngeal carriage studies considering only laboratory data studies with all-cause mortality and hospitalization as primary outcomes and studies that assessed only nosocomial infections.
Rare Side Effects Of Meningococcal Immunisation
There is a very small risk of a serious allergic reaction to any vaccine. This is why you are advised to stay at the clinic or medical surgery for at least 15 minutes following immunisation in case further treatment is required.
If any other reactions are severe and persistent, or if you are worried, contact your doctor for further information.
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Healthy Infants And Children
One dose of Men-C-C vaccine is recommended in unimmunized children less than 5 years of age. One dose of Men-C-C vaccine may be considered for children 5 to 11 years of age if they have not previously been immunized as infants or toddlers. Immunization with 4CMenB vaccine or MenB-fHBP may be considered on an individual basis, depending on individual preferences, regional serogroup B epidemiology and strain susceptibility.
You Are Pregnant Or Breastfeeding
- Pregnant women who are at increased risk for serogroup A, C, W, or Y meningococcal disease may get MenACWY vaccines.
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women who are at increased risk for serogroup B meningococcal disease may get MenB vaccines. However, they should talk with a doctor to decide if the benefits of getting the vaccine outweigh the risks.
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What Is The Meningococcus
The meningococcus is a germ that can cause meningitis and blood infection . It can also cause other infections – for example, pneumonia, eye infection , joint infection and inflammation of the heart . It most commonly causes infections in babies under the age of 1 year. It can also cause infections in those aged 1-5 years and those aged 15-19 years.
Some of these infections are very serious and can be fatal if not treated quickly. There are different groups of meningococcal bacteria:
- Groups B, C and, more recently, W are the common strains in the UK. Most cases of bacterial meningitis in the UK are caused by group B. Most of the rest are caused by group C . Infection caused by group W has increased in the UK in recent years.
- Group A is rare in the UK but more common in certain parts of the world – in particular, sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Saudi Arabia.
- Groups Y, 29E and Z are rare in the UK but group W has been the cause of several recent outbreaks in different parts of the world, including the UK.
Infection with the meningococcus can affect anyone but those most at risk are children aged under 5 years , teenagers and young adults under the age of 25.
H Influenzae Type B Vaccine
Hib is an essential vaccine in helping prevent bacterial meningitis in babies and toddlers. It protects against H. influenzae type b bacteria.
Before the vaccine was introduced in the 1980s, this type of infection was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children under 5. Around 3 to 6 percent of Hib cases involving meningitis were fatal in the pre-vaccine era, and 15-30 percent of survivors had permanent hearing loss or neurological damage.
After Hib vaccines were licensed, invasive Hib disease went down by over 99 percent.
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Special Considerations For Use Of Menactra For People With Functional Or Anatomic Asplenia Or Hiv
Children with functional or anatomic asplenia or HIV should not receive Menactra® before the age of 2 years. This timing avoids interference with the immunologic response to the infant series of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine . CDC recommends infants 2 through 23 months of age with functional or anatomic asplenia or HIV receive Menveo®.
People 2 years of age or older with functional or anatomic asplenia or HIV should not receive Menactra® at the same time as PCV. They should either receive Menveo® or MenQuadfi® when they get PCV or wait and receive Menactra® 4 weeks after completion of all PCV doses.