Guidelines for the management of  patients with an absent or dysfunctional spleen: Meningococcal polysaccharide ACWY vaccine.

•  Vaccine should ONLY be given to patients travelling to high risk areas  (sub Saharan Africa, the area around Delhi and Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan, travellers on pilgrimages to the Haj or Umrah).

Why?

• This vaccine provides protection against serogroups A, C ,W135 and Y of Neisseria meningitidis.
• Travellers to the high-risk areas should receive the ACWY vax® immunisation, even if they have already received the Meningococcal C vaccine (Allow a two week interval between administration of the meningococcal vaccine and ACWY vax®.)

Dose?

• 0.5ml deep subcutaneous.

Re-immunisation?

• In adults immunity, will persist for up to 5 years.

• Re-immunisation may be necessary for individuals who remain at risk.

Side effects?

• Erythema, induration and tenderness or pain at the site of injection. Very rarely headache, fatigue, fever, somnolence and allergic reactions, including anaphylactic reactions have been reported.

Click here for the full Guideline " Management of patients with an absent or dysfunctional spleen"

Page last edited: 20/05/2009

Caution; the antibiotic doses recommended on this website are intended for adult patients with normal renal and liver function unless otherwise stated. Dosing advice for patients with renal impairment is available here.

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