measles, mumps, rubella and varicella virus vaccine

What is the most important information I should know about this vaccine?

The measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine is usually given only once when the child is between 12 months and 12 years old. If a booster dose is needed, At least 3 months should pass between the first and second doses of this vaccine.

Becoming infected with measles, mumps, rubella, or varicella is much more dangerous to your child's health than receiving this vaccine. However, like any medicine, this vaccine can cause side effects but the risk of serious side effects is extremely low.

Do not give your child salicylates such as aspirin, Disalcid, Doan's Pills, Dolobid, Salflex, Tricosal, and others for at least 6 weeks after receiving this vaccine. A serious condition called Reye's Syndrome has been reported in patients with chickenpox who take aspirin or salicylates.

What is measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella virus vaccine?

Measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella are serious diseases caused by viruses. They are spread from person to person through the air.

Measles virus can cause minor symptoms such as skin rash, cough, runny nose, eye irritation, or mild fever. It can also cause more serious symptoms such as ear infection, pneumonia, seizures, permanent brain damage, or death.

Mumps virus causes fever, headache, and swollen glands, but more serious symptoms include hearing loss, and painful swelling of the testicles or ovaries. Mumps can cause breathing problems or meningitis, and these infections can be fatal.

Rubella virus (also called German Measles) causes skin rash, mild fever, and joint pain. Becoming infected with rubella during pregnancy can result in a miscarriage or serious birth defects.

Varicella (commonly known as chickenpox) is a common childhood disease that causes fever, skin rash, and a breakout of fluid-filled blisters on the skin. Most people who receive this vaccine will not get chickenpox, or will get only a mild case and will recover faster. Chickenpox is usually mild, but it can be serious or even fatal in young infants and in adults. It can lead to severe skin infection, breathing problems, brain damage, or death. A person who has had chickenpox can develop herpes zoster (also called shingles) later in life, which causes severe nerve pain, and hearing or vision problems, which may last for months or years.

Measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella are spread from person to person.

The measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine is used to help prevent these diseases in children. This vaccine works by exposing your child to a small dose of the virus or a protein from the virus, which causes the body to develop immunity to the disease. This vaccine will not treat an active infection that has already developed in the body.

Measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine is for use in children between the ages of 12 months and 12 years old.

Like any vaccine, the measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine may not provide protection from disease in every person.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before receiving this vaccine?

Your child should also not receive this vaccine if he or she has:

• active tuberculosis infection;
• a cancer such as leukemia or lymphoma;
• a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome;
• a chronic disease such as asthma or other breathing disorder, diabetes, kidney disease, or a blood cell disorder such as anemia;
• severe immune suppression caused by disease (such as cancer, HIV, or AIDS), or by receiving certain medicines such as steroids, chemotherapy or radiation;
• if the child has recently taken aspirin or other similar medicines such as Disalcid, Doan's Pills, Dolobid, Salflex, Tricosal, and others;
• if the child has recently received a stem cell transplant;
• if someone in the child's household has a weak immune system; or
• if the child is pregnant.

If your child has any of these other conditions, this vaccine may need to be postponed or not given at all:

• thrombocytopenia purpura (easy bruising or bleeding);
• a history of seizures;
• a neurologic disorder or disease affecting the brain (or if this was a reaction to a previous vaccine);
• a weak immune system caused by disease, bone marrow transplant, or by using certain medicines or receiving cancer treatments;
• if the child has received an immune globulin or other blood product within the past year; or
• if the child has received a measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine within the past 28 days (4 weeks).

Your child can still receive a vaccine if he or she has a minor cold. In the case of a more severe illness with a fever or any type of infection, wait until the child gets better before receiving this vaccine.

How is this vaccine given?

This vaccine is given as an injection under the skin. You will receive this injection in a doctor's office or clinic setting.

The measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine is usually given only once when the child is between 12 months and 12 years old. If a booster dose is needed, At least 3 months should pass between the first and second doses of this vaccine.

Your child's booster schedule may be different from these guidelines. Follow your doctor's instructions or the schedule recommended by your local health department.

Your doctor may recommend treating fever and pain with an aspirin free pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, and others) when the shot is given and for the next 24 hours. Follow the label directions or your doctor's instructions about how much of this medicine to give your child.

It is especially important to prevent fever from occurring in a child who has a seizure disorder such as epilepsy.

This vaccine can cause false results on a skin test for tuberculosis for up to 6 weeks. Tell any doctor who treats you if you have received this vaccine within the past 4 to 6 weeks.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Since this vaccine is usually given only once, you are not likely to miss a dose. Contact your doctor if you do not receive all recommended doses.

What happens if I overdose?

An overdose of this vaccine is unlikely to occur.

What should I avoid before or after receiving this vaccine?

Do not give your child salicylates such as aspirin, Disalcid, Doan's Pills, Dolobid, Salflex, Tricosal, and others for at least 6 weeks after receiving this vaccine. A serious condition called Reye's Syndrome has been reported in patients with chickenpox who take aspirin or salicylates.

What are the possible side effects of this vaccine?

Becoming infected with measles, mumps, rubella, or varicella is much more dangerous to your child's health than receiving this vaccine. However, like any medicine, this vaccine can cause side effects but the risk of serious side effects is extremely low.

• problems with hearing or vision;
• extreme drowsiness, fainting;
• fussiness, irritability, crying for an hour or longer;
• easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;
• seizure (black-out or convulsions); or
• high fever (within a few hours or a few days after the vaccine).

Less serious side effects include:

• redness, pain, swelling, or a lump where the shot was given;
• headache, dizziness;
• low fever, joint or muscle pain; or
• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.

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.

What other drugs will affect measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella virus vaccine?

Also tell the doctor if your child has recently received drugs or treatments that can weaken the immune system, including:

• an oral, nasal, inhaled, or injectable steroid medicine;
• medications to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, or other autoimmune disorders, such as azathioprine (Imuran), etanercept (Enbrel), leflunomide (Arava), and others; or
• medicines to treat or prevent organ transplant rejection, such as basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral, Gengraf), muromonab-CD3 (Orthoclone), mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept), sirolimus (Rapamune), or tacrolimus (Prograf).

If your child is receiving any of these medications, he or she may not be able to receive the vaccine, or may need to wait until the other treatments are finished.

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with this vaccine. Tell your doctor about all medications your child receives. This includes prescription, over the counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about this vaccine. Additional information is available from your local health department or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.