Mumps Vaccine Fact Sheet

Vaccination Information for the HIV Infected Person

There have been reported mumps outbreaks in different parts of the world. Many of us have been vaccinated in the past but may need vaccinated again. The mumps vaccine can be given in two different ways:

• as part of the Mumps, Measles, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine

• as a mumps only (monvalent) vaccine. This fact sheet will cover both.

Your Complete Guide to Mumps & Mumps Vaccination

Who Should Be Vaccinated and When?

• Children should get 2 doses of MMR vaccine; the first at 12-15 months of age and the second at 4-6 years of age.

  Important Fact!
  These are the recommended ages. But children can get the second dose at any age, as long as it is at least 28 days after the first dose. MMR vaccine may be given at the same time as other vaccines.

• Some adults should also get MMR vaccine. Generally, anyone 18 years of age or older, who was born after 1956, should get at least one dose of MMR vaccine, unless they can show that they have had either the vaccines or the diseases.

Who Should NOT Get Vaccinated or Should Wait to Be Vaccinated?

There are some people should not get MMR vaccine or should wait. They include:

• People who have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to gelatin, the antibiotic neomycin, or to a previous dose of MMR vaccine.

• People who are moderately or severely ill at the time the shot is scheduled should wait until they recover before getting the MMR.

• Pregnant women should wait to get MMR vaccine until after they have given birth. Women should avoid getting pregnant until 4 weeks after getting the MMR vaccine.

  Pregnancy & HIV

• Some people should check with their doctor to check whether they should get MMR vaccine, including anyone who:
  • Has HIV or another disease that affects the immune system
  • Is being treated with drugs that affect the immune system, such as steroids, for 2 weeks or longer.
  • Has any kind of cancer
  • Is taking cancer treatment with x-rays or chemotherapy drugs
  • Has ever had a low platelet count(a blood disorder that can affect blood clotting)
  • People who recently had a transfusion or were given other blood products should ask their doctor when they may get MMR vaccine.

Vaccine Risks and Side Effects

A vaccine, like any medicine, is capable of causing side effects but the risk is small. Getting MMR vaccine is much safer than getting mumps, measles, or rubella. Most people who get MMR vaccine do not have any problems with it.

Mild Side Effects

• Fever (approximately 1 person in 6)
• Mild rash (about 1 person in 20)
• Swelling of glands in the cheeks or neck (rare)

If these problems occur, it is usually within 7-12 days after the vaccination. They occur less often after the second dose.

Moderate Side Effects

• Seizure (jerking or staring) caused by fever (about 1 out of 3,000 doses)
• Temporary pain and stiffness in the joints, mostly in teenage or adult women (up to 1 out of 4)
• Temporary low platelet count, which can cause a bleeding disorder (about 1 out of 30,000 doses)

Severe Side Effects (Very Rare)

• Serious allergic reaction (less than 1 out of a million doses)
• Several other severe problems have been known to occur after a child gets MMR vaccine. But this happens so rarely, experts cannot be sure whether they are caused by the vaccine or not. These include:
  • Deafness
  • Long-term seizures, coma, or lowered consciousness
  • Permanent brain damage

_{Source: Vaccine information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006}