Menveo

Menveo

Generic Name: meningococcal conjugate vaccine (me NIN je KOK al KON je gate vax EEN)

Brand Names: Menactra, Menveo

What is Menveo?

Menveo is used to prevent infection caused by meningococcal bacteria. The vaccine contains four of the most common types of meningococcal bacteria.

Menveo works by exposing you to a small dose of the bacteria or a protein from the bacteria, which causes your body to develop immunity to the disease. Menveo will not treat an active infection that has already developed in the body.

Menveo is for use in children and adults between the ages of 2 and 55 years old.

Like any vaccine, Menveo may not provide protection from disease in every person.

Becoming infected with meningitis (infection of the spinal cord and lining of the brain) is much more dangerous to your health than receiving this vaccine. However, like any medicine, this vaccine can cause side effects but the risk of serious side effects is extremely low.

Meningococcal disease is a serious infection caused by a bacteria. Meningococcal bacteria can infect the blood, spinal cord, and brain. These conditions can be fatal.

Meningococcal disease can spread from one person to another through small droplets of saliva that are expelled into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The bacteria can also be passed through contact with objects the infected person has touched, such as a door handle, or other surface. The bacteria can also be passed through kissing, or sharing a drinking glass or eating utensil with an infected person.

Important information about Menveo

Do not receive Menveo if you have ever had an allergic reaction to a meningococcal or a diphtheria vaccine, if you are allergic to latex rubber, or if you have a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Before receiving Menveo, tell your doctor if you have a bleeding or blood clotting disorder, a weak immune system, or if you are receiving steroids, chemotherapy, or radiation treatment. If you have any of these conditions, your vaccine may need to be postponed or not given at all.

You may feel faint after receiving Menveo. Some people have had seizure-like reactions after receiving this vaccine. Your doctor may want you to remain under observation during the first 15 minutes after the injection. Keep track of any and all side effects you have after receiving Menveo. If you ever need to receive another meningococcal vaccine in the future, you will need to tell the doctor if the first shot caused any side effects.

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

Becoming infected with meningitis is much more dangerous to your health than receiving Menveo. However, like any medicine, this vaccine can cause side effects but the risk of serious side effects is extremely low.

Like any vaccine, Menveo may not provide protection from disease in every person.

Before receiving Menveo

Do not receive Menveo if you have ever had an allergic reaction to a diphtheria or a meningococcal vaccine, or if you have:

a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome; or

if you are allergic to latex rubber.

If you have any of these other conditions, your Menveo injection may need to be postponed or not given at all:

a bleeding or blood clotting disorder, such as hemophilia;

any condition that weakens the immune system (such as HIV, AIDS, or cancer); or

if you are receiving steroids, chemotherapy, or radiation treatments.

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to receive Menveo, or you may need to wait until your condition changes or you have completed your treatments.

FDA pregnancy category C. Menveo may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant soon after receiving the vaccine.

See also: Menveo pregnancy and breastfeeding warnings (in more detail)

Your name may need to be listed on a registry of women who receive a meningococcal vaccine during pregnancy if you receive Menveo while you are pregnant. The purpose of this registry is to track the outcome of your pregnancy and the birth of your child so that health department authorities are notified of any unwanted effects on the baby.

It is not known whether meningococcal conjugate vaccine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Menveo should not be given to anyone younger than 11 or older than 55.

How is Menveo given?

Menveo is given as a shot into a muscle of your upper arm. You will receive this injection in a doctor's office or other clinic setting.

Menveo is recommended in the following situations:

for all children 2 to 18 years old;

for people who are in the military;

for laboratory workers who are routinely exposed to meningococcal bacteria;

for people who live in dormitories or other group housing; and

for people who travel or live among certain populations where meningococcal outbreak is common.

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

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 Menveo 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 give your child.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Since Menveo is given as a single injection, you are not likely to be on a booster schedule.

What happens if I overdose?

An overdose of this vaccine is not likely to occur.

What should I avoid before or after getting Menveo?

Follow your doctor's instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity.

Menveo side effects

Keep track of any and all side effects you have after receiving Menveo. If you ever have to receive another meningococcal vaccine in the future, you will need to tell the doctor if the first shot caused any side effects. Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to Menveo: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. You may feel faint after receiving this vaccine. Some people have had seizure-like reactions after receiving Menveo. Your doctor may want you to remain under observation during the first 15 minutes after the injection. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

severe weakness or unusual feeling in your arms and legs (may occur 2 to 4 weeks after you receive the vaccine);

high fever; or

unusual bleeding.

Less serious Menveo side effects may be more likely to occur, such as:

low fever, chills;

redness, pain, swelling, or a lump where the vaccine was injected;

headache, weakness, tired feeling;

joint or muscle pain;

diarrhea;

nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite; or

mild skin rash.

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.

See also: Menveo side effects (in more detail)

What other drugs will affect Menveo?

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

Also tell the doctor if you are using a blood thinner (warfarin, Coumadin), or 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).

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with Menveo. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

More Menveo resources

Menveo Side Effects (in More Detail)

Menveo Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Menveo Drug Interactions

Menveo Support Group

0 Reviews for Menveo - Add your own review/rating

Menveo Prescribing Information (FDA)

Menveo MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Menactra MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Menactra Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information

Compare Menveo with other medications

Meningococcal Meningitis Prophylaxis

Where can I get more information?

Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about Menveo. Additional information is available from your local health department or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects.