rubella virus vaccine

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

Although immunization against rubella virus is available in a single vaccine, it may be best for you to receive a combination measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Follow your doctor's instructions.

You should not receive a rubella virus vaccine if you are pregnant. Wait until after your child is born to receive the vaccine. Avoid becoming pregnant for at least 3 months after receiving a rubella virus vaccine.

The first rubella virus vaccine is usually given to a child who is 12 to 15 month old. The booster shots are then given between 4 and 6 years of age. A measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine should then be given before the child starts elementary school.

Adults born after 1956 should receive at least one measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination if they have never had the diseases or received an MMR vaccine during their lifetime.

Your individual booster schedule may be different from these guidelines. Follow your doctor's instructions or the schedule recommended by the health department of the state you live in.

Be sure you receive all recommended doses of this vaccine. If you do not receive the full series of vaccines, you may not be fully protected against the disease.

You can still receive a vaccine if you have a minor cold or low fever. In the case of a more severe illness with a fever or any type of infection, wait until you get better before receiving this vaccine.

You should not receive a booster vaccine if you had a life-threatening allergic reaction after the first shot.

Keep track of any and all side effects you have after receiving this vaccine. When you receive a booster dose, you will need to tell the doctor if the previous shots caused any side effects.

Becoming infected with rubella is much more dangerous to your health than receiving the vaccine to protect against these diseases. Like any medicine, this vaccine can cause side effects, but the risk of serious side effects is extremely low.

What is rubella virus vaccine?

Rubella is a serious disease caused by a virus. It is spread from person to person through the air.

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

The rubella virus vaccine is used to help prevent this disease in adults and children who are at least 12 months old.

This vaccine works by exposing you 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.

Rubella virus vaccine is for use in children between the ages of 12 months and 6 years old, and in adults who have never received the vaccine or had the diseases.

Although immunization against rubella virus is available in a single vaccine, it may be best for you to receive a combination measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Follow your doctor's instructions.

Like any vaccine, the rubella virus vaccine may not provide protection from disease in every person.

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

You should not receive this vaccine if you are allergic to:

• gelatin;
• neomycin (Mycifradin, Neo-Fradin, Neo-Tab); or
• if you have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to any vaccine containing rubella.

You should also not receive this vaccine if you have:

• a blood cell disorder such as anemia;
• blood or bone marrow cancer such as leukemia, lymphoma, and others;
• severe active immune suppression caused by disease (such as cancer, HIV, or AIDS), or by receiving chemotherapy or radiation; or
• if you are pregnant.

Before receiving this vaccine, tell the doctor if you have:

• thrombocytopenia purpura (easy bruising or bleeding);
• active or untreated tuberculosis infection;
• a weak immune system caused by disease, bone marrow transplant, or by using certain medicines or receiving cancer treatments; or
• if you have received an immune globulin or other blood product within the past 3 months.

You can still receive a vaccine if you have a minor cold or low fever. In the case of a more severe illness with a fever or any type of infection, wait until you get better before receiving this vaccine.

You should not receive a rubella virus vaccine if you are pregnant. Wait until after your child is born to receive the vaccine. Avoid becoming pregnant for at least 3 months after receiving a rubella virus vaccine.

Do not receive this vaccine while you are breast-feeding a baby. Small amounts of the rubella virus contained in the vaccine can pass into breast milk and could harm a nursing baby.

Rubella virus vaccine contains albumin (part of the blood) and it may contain viruses and other infectious agents that can cause disease. Although donated human blood is screened, tested, and treated to reduce the risk of it containing anything that could cause disease, there is still a small possibility it could transmit disease. Talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of receiving this vaccine.

How is this vaccine given?

This vaccine is given as an injection (shot) under your skin. You will receive this injection in a doctor's office or other clinic setting.

Rubella virus vaccine is recommended for people in the following situations:

• healthcare workers;
• college students;
• military personnel;
• travelers on cruise ships or to destinations outside the U.S.;
• a woman who is susceptible to rubella and has just had a baby; and
• a child who has never been vaccinated against rubella and is in contact with a pregnant woman.

Adults born after 1956 should receive at least one measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination if they have never had the diseases or received an MMR vaccine during their lifetime.

The first rubella virus vaccine is usually given to a child who is 12 to 15 month old. The booster shots are then given between 4 and 6 years of age. A measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine should then be given before the child starts elementary school.

Your doctor may want you to receive an immune globulin (IG) injection within 3 months after you receive the rubella virus vaccine. Your individual booster schedule may be different from these guidelines. Follow your doctor's instructions or the schedule recommended by the health department of the state you live in.

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 take.

It is especially important to prevent fever from occurring if you have a seizure disorder such as epilepsy.

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

What happens if I miss a dose?

Contact your doctor if you will miss a booster dose or if you get behind schedule. The next dose should be given as soon as possible. There is no need to start over.

Be sure you receive all recommended doses of this vaccine. If you do not receive the full series of vaccines, you may not be fully protected against the disease.

What happens if I overdose?

An overdose of this vaccine is unlikely to occur.

What should I avoid before or after receiving this vaccine?

An immune globulin (IG) injection should not be given at the same time as the rubella virus vaccine.

What are the possible side effects of rubella virus vaccines?

You should not receive a booster vaccine if you had a life-threatening allergic reaction after the first shot.

Keep track of any and all side effects you have after receiving this vaccine. When you receive a booster dose, you will need to tell the doctor if the previous shots caused any side effects.

Becoming infected with measles, mumps, or rubella is much more dangerous to your health than receiving the vaccine to protect against these diseases. Like any medicine, this vaccine can cause side effects, but the risk of serious side effects is extremely low.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• high fever (within a few hours or a few days after the vaccine);
• swollen glands;
• easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;
• joint swelling or stiffness that continues for several weeks after vaccination;
• weakness, severe lower back pain, numbness or tingly feeling in your feet and spreading upward;
• problems with hearing, vision, speech, swallowing, or bladder and bowel functions;
• slow heart rate, trouble breathing, feeling like you might pass out;
• seizure (black-out or convulsions); or
• severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash.

Less serious side effects include:

• low fever, sore throat, cough, runny nose;
• headache, dizziness, feeling tired or irritable;
• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
• joint or muscle pain;
• numbness or tingly feeling; or
• redness, pain, swelling, or a lump where the shot was given.

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 rubella virus vaccine?

Before receiving this vaccine, tell the doctor about all other vaccines you have recently received.

Also tell the doctor if you have 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), efalizumab (Raptiva), 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 you are using any of these medications, you may not be able to receive the vaccine, or may need to wait until the other treatments are finished.

There may be other drugs that can affect this vaccine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you have received. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your doctor or pharmacist may have information about this vaccine written for health professionals that you may read. You may also find additional information from your local health department or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.