meningococcal ABCWY pentavalent vaccine

Meningococcal ABCWY pentavalent vaccine protects against meningococcal disease caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, B, C, W, and Y. Meningococcal disease is a severe and potentially life-threatening bacterial infection of the brain, spinal canal, and bloodstream. There are 13 strains of N. Meningitidis, but serogroups A, B, C, W, X, and Y are most common in the United States.

Meningococcal disease can affect anyone, including healthy individuals, and can become fatal within 24 hours. It’s more common in children under 1 year old, young adolescents and adults aged 16-23, and adults over 65. The vaccine is given as two intramuscular injections 6 months apart to individuals aged 10 to 25.

N. meningitidis lives in the nose and throat of about 10% of the population without causing disease. It spreads through saliva and nasal droplets and can cause invasive disease in vulnerable individuals. The bacteria enter the bloodstream, cross the blood-brain barrier, and infect the membranes of the brain and spinal cord.

Meningococcal ABCWY pentavalent vaccine contains protein and carbohydrate fragments from A, B, C, W, and Y strains of N. meningitidis. It stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies that recognize the bacteria and kill them, protecting against severe disease in the future.

The vaccine is conjugated with a tetanus bacterial toxoid to enhance the immune response. It does not contain preservatives.

Warnings

• Do not administer meningococcal ABCWY pentavalent vaccine to anyone with a history of severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) to any component of the formulation.
• Administer the vaccine only as an intramuscular injection. Do not use any other route.
• Administer the vaccine only in a clinical setting with medical facilities and trained personnel available to manage severe reactions.
• Vaccines can cause fainting. Precautions should be taken to prevent falling and injury.
• Individuals with altered immune function may have reduced response to the vaccine.
• Some individuals have an increased risk of developing invasive disease despite having antibodies:

• With certain deficiencies in the complement system that enhances the ability of antibodies to kill pathogens.
• Taking treatments that inhibit terminal complement system activation.

QUESTION

What are the side effects of meningococcal ABCWY pentavalent vaccine?

Common side effects include:

• Pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site

Less common side effects include:

• Allergic reactions
• Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis)
• Fainting (syncope)

Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms or serious side effects while using this drug:

• Serious heart symptoms, such as fast or pounding heartbeats, fluttering in your chest, shortness of breath, and sudden dizziness
• Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, severe weakness, vomiting, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady
• Severe nervous system reaction, including very stiff muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, tremors, and feeling like you might pass out
• Serious eye symptoms, such as blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights

This is not a complete list of side effects or adverse reactions. Contact your doctor or report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What are the dosages of meningococcal ABCWY pentavalent vaccine?

Lyophilized powder for reconstitution

• 0.5 mL suspension for intramuscular (IM) injection after reconstitution
• Supplied as a kit that includes lyophilized MenACWY component, a prefilled syringe containing the MenB component, and a vial adapter

Adult and Pediatric:

Meningococcal Vaccination

• Indicated for active immunization to prevent invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, B, C, Y, and W-135 in persons aged 10-25 years
• 2 dose series: 0.5 mL IM administered 6 months apart

Overdose

There are no reports of overdose with meningococcal ABCWY pentavalent vaccine. Overdose is unlikely to occur because the vaccine is administered in a clinical setting.

What drugs interact with meningococcal ABCWY pentavalent vaccine?

Inform your doctor of all medications you are currently taking to check for possible drug interactions.

Meningococcal ABCWY pentavalent vaccine has no reported interactions with other drugs.

The above drug interactions are not all possible interactions or adverse effects. For more information, consult the RxList Drug Interaction Checker.

Always inform your doctor, pharmacist, or healthcare provider of all medications you use, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs, and keep a list of this information.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

• No developmental toxicity studies have been performed with meningococcal ABCWY pentavalent vaccine during pregnancy. There are no clinical studies on the use of the vaccine in pregnant women to determine a vaccine-associated risk to the fetus.
• There are no data on the presence of meningococcal ABCWY pentavalent vaccine in breastmilk or its effect on milk production or the breastfed infant.
• The decision to breastfeed should consider the developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding, as well as the potential adverse effects of the vaccine or the mother’s susceptibility to the disease.
• There is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors outcomes in individuals exposed to meningococcal ABCWY pentavalent vaccine during pregnancy.

Summary

Meningococcal ABCWY pentavalent vaccine protects against meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, B, C, W, and Y. Common side effects include injections site reactions, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, chills, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.