What is mixed respiratory vaccine?
Mixed respiratory vaccine is a mixture of killed bacteria. It is used to strengthen the
immune system to help your body fight chronic infections.
Mixed respiratory vaccine is used in people with chronic infections such as infectious
asthma, chronic sinusitis (inflamation of the sinuses), nasal polyps, ear infections, and other
upper respiratory tract infections.
The vaccine works by exposing you to a small dose of the bacteria mixture, which causes
the body to develop immunity to certain diseases. This vaccine will not treat an active infection
that has already developed in the body.
Like any vaccine, the mixed respiratory vaccine may not provide protection from disease
in every person.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking mixed respiratory vaccine?
You should not receive this vaccine if have:
-
rheumatoid arthritis;
-
lupus erythematosus (SLE); or
-
other connective tissue disorders such as Marfan syndrome,
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, or scleroderma.
Before receiving this vaccine, tell your doctor if you have:
You can still receive a vaccine if you have a cold or 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.
FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell
your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
It is not known whether mixed respiratory vaccine passes into breast milk. Do not
receive this vaccine without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
How should I take mixed respiratory vaccine?
This vaccine is given as an injection (shot) under the skin. You will receive this injection
in a doctor's office or other clinic setting.
The mixed respiratory vaccine is usually given every several days. The first shot is
usually given at a larger dose. The booster shots are then given at gradually smaller doses as
your body begins to respond to the vaccine. After several months, your shots may be spaced
farther apart, or you may need them only every other week.
Your individual vaccination schedule may be different from these guidelines. Follow
your doctor's instructions.
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.
What happens if I miss a dose of mixed respiratory vaccine?
Contact your doctor if you will miss a booster dose or if you get behind schedule. The
next dose should be given as soon as possible. There is no need to start over.
Be sure you receive all recommended doses of this vaccine. If you do not receive the full
series of vaccines, you may not be fully protected against the disease.
Where can I get more information about mixed respiratory vaccine?
Your pharmacist has information about mixed respiratory vaccine written for health professionals that you may read.
What are the possible side effects of mixed respiratory vaccine?
You should not receive a booster vaccine if you had a life-threatening allergic
reaction after the first shot.
Keep track of any and all side effects you have after receiving this vaccine. When
you receive a booster dose, you will need to tell the doctor if the previous shots caused any side
effects.
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these
signs of an allergic
reaction:
hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
-
severe skin rash, itching, or swelling;
-
a feeling of extreme discomfort or uneasiness;
-
severe muscle pain; or
-
high fever (within a few hours or a few days after the
vaccine).
Less serious side effects include:
Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your
doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.
What is the most important information I should know about mixed respiratory vaccine?
You should not receive this vaccine if have rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus
erythematosus (SLE), or any other connective tissue disorders such as Marfan syndrome,
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, or scleroderma.
Before receiving mixed respiratory vaccine, tell your doctor if you have diabetes or
eczema.
The mixed respiratory vaccine is usually given every several days. The first shot is
usually given at a larger dose. The booster shots are then given at gradually smaller doses as
your body begins to respond to the vaccine. After several months, your shots may be spaced
farther apart, or you may need them only every other week.
The vaccine works by exposing you to a small dose of a bacteria mixture, which causes
the body to develop immunity to certain diseases. This vaccine will not treat an active infection
that has already developed in the body.
What should I avoid while taking mixed respiratory vaccine?
Do not receive a "live" vaccine such as measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), oral polio,
yellow fever, or varicella (chickenpox) for at least 4 weeks after you have received the mixed
respiratory vaccine. The other live vaccine may not work as well during this time, and may not
fully protect you from disease.
What other drugs will affect mixed respiratory vaccine?
Before receiving this vaccine, tell the doctor about all other vaccines you have
recently received.
Also tell the doctor 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).
If you are using any of these medications, you may not be able to
receive the vaccine, or may need to wait until the other treatments are finished.
There may be other drugs that can affect this vaccine. Tell your doctor about all the
prescription and over-the-counter medications you have received. This includes vitamins,
minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new
medication without telling your doctor.
What happens if I have an overdose of mixed respiratory vaccine?
