Hepatitis B Vaccine

Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. Hepatitis B virus can cause short-term illness that leads  to: loss of appetite, tiredness, pain in the muscles, joints, and stomach, diarrhea and vomiting, and jaundice. It can also cause long-term illness that leads to: liver damage, liver cancer and death. Most people who are infected with Hepatitis B do not have any symptoms. Young infants infected with Hepatitis B virus are more likely to develop liver disease than older children or adults. All children should receive this 3 dose series of vaccine.

Pneumococcal Prevnar Vaccine

Streptococcus Pneumoniae is a bacterium and is the most common cause of severe bacterial infections of infants and young children. Severe infections include meningitis (an infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord), bloodstream infections (also known as sepsis), and pneumonia (an infection of the lungs). Pneumococcal disease is also a common cause of ear and sinus infections. Children under 2 years of age are at highest risk for serious disease. Pneumococcal infections can be hard to treat because the bacteria have become resistant to some of the drugs that have been used to treat them. This makes prevention of pneumococcal infections even more important. The vaccine is a 4 dose series.

Diphtheria – Tetanus – Pertussis (Td, DT, DTaP and Tdap) Vaccines

The “D” in DTaP stands for Diphtheria. Diphtheria is caused by a bacterium that typically infects children and adolescents. This bacterium causes a thick covering on the back of the throat. It can lead to breathing problems, paralysis, heart failure, and even death. Diphtheria is very contagious and is spread by coughing and sneezing.

The “T” in DTaP stands for tetanus. Tetanus is a bacterium that makes a toxin that causes severe and painful spasms of the muscles, including the muscles of the jaw (tetanus is referred to as “lockjaw”). Tetanus leads to death in about 1 out of 10 cases.

The “P” in the DTaP vaccine stands for pertussis. Pertussis is a bacterium that infects infants, children, adolescents, and adults. Pertussis bacteria make several toxins causing children to develop thick, sticky mucus that clogs the windpipe and causes painful spasms of coughing. When the child breaths in against the narrowed windpipe, it causes a whooping sound (Pertussis is also called “Whooping Cough”). Coughing spells make it difficult for children to breathe, eat, or drink. These spells can last for weeks. Pertussis bacteria can also cause pneumonia, seizures, brain damage and death

DTaP is a safer version of an older vaccine called DTP. DTP is no longer used in the United States.

DTaP is a 4 dose vaccine series with a booster at 4-6 years of age.  Another booster dose is recommended again at 11 years of age.

Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) Vaccine

Hib is a bacterium that typically infects infants and young children. Hib is spread from person to person. If the germs stay in the child’s nose and throat, the child probably will not get sick. But sometimes the germs spread into the lungs or bloodstream, and then Hib can cause serious problems. Hib can cause meningitis, bloodstream infections, and pneumonia. Hib is a 4 dose series.

Polio Vaccine

Polio is caused by a virus that typically infects children. Polio enters the body through the mouth. Polio usually causes a mild intestinal infection. Polio can cause paralysis of the arms and legs. But sometimes, polio causes paralysis of the muscles needed for breathing. Polio is a 3 dose series with a booster at 4-6 years of age.

Measles – Mumps – Rubella Vaccine

Measles is a virus that typically infects young children. Children with measles have cough, runny nose, fever, eye irritation, and a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. Measles virus can also lead to ear infections, pneumonia, seizures, and death. Measles is very contagious and is spread by coughing and sneezing.

Mumps is a virus that typically infects children and causes fever, headache, and painful swelling of the glands located just below the ear. Mumps also infects the lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) and can cause deafness, painful swelling of the testicles or ovaries, and rarely death. Mumps can also infect the unborn child in the first trimester of pregnancy and cause fetal death.

Rubella is a virus that typically infects children and causes a rash, mild fever, and arthritis. Rubella infections are usually mild in young children. However, when a woman is infected with rubella virus during pregnancy, the virus can cause permanent and severe birth defects or miscarriage. This is a 2 dose series. One dose at one year of age and the second dose at 4-6 years of age.

Varicella (Chickenpox) Vaccine

Varicella (chickenpox) is a virus that typically infects young children. People infected with varicella virus usually develop fever, tiredness, as well as about 300 to 500 blisters over the entire body. This virus is very contagious and is spread by coughing and sneezing or by contact with the fluid from the chickenpox blisters. Varicella can lead to severe skin infections, scars, pneumonia, brain damage, or death. Varicella can also infect unborn babies during pregnancy, causing birth defects or fetal death. Varicella vaaccine is a 2 dose series. One dose at one year of age and the second dose at 4-6 years of age.

Hepatitis A Vaccine

Hepatitis A is a virus that infects the liver. Hepatitis A virus is found in the stool of persons with Hepatitis A. It is usually spread by close personal contact and sometimes by eating food or drinking water containing Hepatitis A. People who catch Hepatitis A virus often do not have symptoms. Some have loss of appetite, vomiting, nausea, fatigue, jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin), or severe stomach pains and diarrhea. Hepatitis A can cause a rapid overwhelming infection of the liver and death. This vaccine is a 2 dose series.

Influenza Vaccine

Influenza is a virus that infects the respiratory system. It can cause fever, cough, sore throat, headache, chills, muscle aches, and fatigue. Young children are more likely than adults to be hospitalized with infections caused by influenza and young children commonly transmit influenza virus to parents and grandparents.  Adults only need one vaccine per flu season, but children under 9 years old who are receiving the flu vaccine for the first time will need 2 vaccines the first year. 

Rotavirus Vaccine

Rotavirus is a virus that causes severe diarrhea, mostly in babies and young children. It is often accompanied by vomiting and fever. A child can get rotavirus infection by being around other children who are already infected. The vaccine is 3 dose series completed during the first year of life.

Human Papillomavirus Vaccine

Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the United States. There are about 40 types of HPV. Most HPV infections do not cause any symptoms, and go away on their own.  But HPV is important mainly because it can cause cervical cancer in women. It is also associated with several less common types of cancer in both women and men. It can cause genital warts and warts in the upper respiratory tract. There is no treatment for HPV infection, but the conditions it causes can be treated. The vaccine is a series of 3 and can be given to women/girls age 9-26 years old.

Meningococcal Vaccine

Meningococcal disease is a serious illness caused by a bacteria. It is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children 2 years – 18 years old in the United States. Meningitis is an infection of fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Meningococcal disease also causes blood infections. The vaccine is one dose and can be given to children starting at age 11.  This vaccine is recommended for unvaccinated children and to all college freshman living in a dormitory.