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Indications
- Prevention of meningitis due to meningococci groups A and C:
- in mass immunisation campaigns in the event of an outbreak due to meningococcus A or C
- in travellers spending more than 1 month in hyperendemic areas
Composition, forms, route of administration
- Inactivated bacterial vaccine, polysaccharide
- Powder for injection in monodose or multidose vial, to be dissolved with the entire vial of the diluent supplied by the manufacturer, for deep SC or IM injection, into the deltoid muscle or the anterolateral part of the thigh in children (follow manufacturer's instructions)
Dosage and vaccination schedule
- Child from 2 years and adult: 0.5 ml single dose
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
- Do not administer to patients with history of an allergic reaction to a previous injection of meningococcal vaccine.
- Vaccination should be postponed in the event of severe acute febrile illness; minor infections are not contra-indications.
- May cause: mild local reaction, mild fever.
- Do not mix with other vaccines in the same syringe (inactivation of vaccines).
- If administered simultaneously with EPI vaccines, use different syringes and injection sites.
- Pregnancy: no contra-indication
- Breast-feeding: no contra-indication
Remarks
- Immunity develops 7 to 10 days after injection, and lasts for approximately 3 years.
Storage
- Powder: between 2 °C and 8 °C.
- Diluent: a cold chain is not required for storage. However, at least 12 hours before reconstitution of the vaccine, the diluent must be refrigerated between 2 °C and 8 °C so that the diluent and lyophilised powder are at the same temperature: a temperature difference during reconstitution may reduce vaccine efficacy. Do not freeze.
- Reconstituted vaccine: between 2 °C and 8 °C, for 6 hours maximum.