Meningococcal Groups C and Y/Haemophilus b Conjugate Vaccine

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KEY POINTS

• This medicine is given by injection to protect against infection from certain types of meningitis and Haemophilus influenzae b bacteria.
• This medicine may cause unwanted side effects. Tell your healthcare provider if your child has any side effects that are serious, continue, or get worse.
• Tell all healthcare providers who treat your child about all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that your child takes.

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What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: vaccine

Generic and brand names: meningococcal groups C and Y/haemophilus B tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine, injection; MenHibrix

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is given by injection (shots) to provide protection against infection from certain types of meningitis and Haemophilus influenzae b (Hib) bacteria. The vaccine is given to children 6 weeks through 18 months of age.

What should my healthcare provider know before my child takes this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if your child has ever had:

• An allergic reaction to any medicine or vaccine
• A weakened immune system from cancer treatment, diseases such as HIV/AIDS, or from taking steroid medicines or medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection
• Guillain-Barré syndrome

Also tell your healthcare provider if your child was born prematurely.

Females of childbearing age: This medicine is usually not given to pregnant women. Talk with your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I use it?

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends this vaccine for infants age 2 months through 23 months only if they have certain high risk conditions. This vaccine is given by a healthcare provider as a series of 4 shots. The shots are usually given at 2, 4, 6, and 12 through 15 months of age. The first dose may be given as early as 6 weeks of age and the last dose as late as 18 months of age. Your child may be given a booster shot of this vaccine after several years.

Your healthcare provider will tell you when your child should get the shots. Get all the shots on schedule to provide complete protection. Keep a record of when each vaccine was last given. If a shot is missed, contact your healthcare provider right away and schedule another appointment for the shot.

What should I watch out for?

Your provider may give this vaccine at the same time as other vaccines. Talk to your healthcare provider about this.

It is very important that your child get all shots on schedule to provide protection from these serious diseases. Keep all appointments for injections and check-ups.

There may be temporary redness, tenderness, and swelling where the shot was given. Also, this medicine may cause a mild fever of 100 to 102°F, or 37.8 to 38.9°C within 72 hours after a vaccination. If the fever continues or gets worse, contact your healthcare provider. Acetaminophen may help reduce the fever and discomfort caused by the vaccine.

If your child needs emergency care, surgery, lab tests, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist your child has received this medicine.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your child’s body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if your child has any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help.): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of the lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (Report these to your healthcare provider right away.): High fever; seizures; stopping and starting breathing during sleep (apnea); extreme sleepiness; fainting.

Other: Tenderness, pain, redness, or a lump on your child’s skin where the shot was given; drowsiness; irritability; loss of appetite; mild fever.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if your child is taking:

• Cancer medicines such as cisplatin, hydroxyurea (Droxia, Hydrea), vinblastine, vincristine (Marqibo), and others
• Corticosteroids such as dexamethasone, hydrocortisone (A-Hydrocort, Cortef), methylprednisolone (Medrol, Solu-Medrol), prednisone (Prednisone Intensol), and others
• Everolimus (Afinitor, Zortress)
• Immunosuppressants such as azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran), basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune), mycophenolate (CellCept, Myfortic), and others
• Medicines to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other immune disorders such as adalimumab (Humira), anakinra (Kineret), belimumab (Benlysta), leflunomide (Arava), and others
• Multiple sclerosis medicines such as fingolimod (Gilenya), natalizumab (Tysabri), teriflunomide (Aubagio), and others
• Methotrexate (Otrexup, Rasuvo, Rheumatrex, Trexall)
• Radiation therapy

Keep a record of all vaccines received and when your child received them.

If you are not sure if your child’s medicines might interact, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. Keep a list of all your child’s medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that your child takes. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat your child about all the products your child takes.

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This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.