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In this Article

• What is rubella virus vaccine (Meruvax)?
• What are the possible side effects of rubella virus vaccines (Meruvax)?
• What is the most important information I should know about this vaccine (Meruvax)?
• What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before receiving this vaccine (Meruvax)?
• How is this vaccine given (Meruvax)?
• What happens if I miss a dose (Meruvax)?
• What happens if I overdose (Meruvax)?
• What should I avoid before or after receiving this vaccine (Meruvax)?
• What other drugs will affect rubella virus vaccine (Meruvax)?
• Where can I get more information?

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

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 (Meruvax)?

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.