Pneumovax 23 and Rubella virus vaccine, live Subcutaneous

• Generic Name: pneumococcal 23-polyvalent vaccine
• Dosage Forms: injection, solution
• Other Brand Names: Pneumovax 23

Pneumococcal disease is a serious infection caused by a bacteria. Pneumococcal bacteria can infect the sinuses and inner ear. It can also infect the lungs, blood, and brain and these conditions can be fatal.

Pneumococcal polysaccharides vaccine (PPSV) is used to prevent infection caused by pneumococcal bacteria. PPSV contains 23 of the most common types of pneumococcal bacteria.

PPSV 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. PPSV will not treat an active infection that has already developed in the body.

PPSV is for use only in adults and children who are at least 2 years old. For children younger than 2 years old, another vaccine called Prevnar (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine [PCV] 7-valent) is used, usually given between the ages of 2 months and 15 months.

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

• Generic Name: rubella virus vaccine
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names:

Rubella virus vaccine live is an active immunizing agent used to prevent infection by the rubella virus. It works by causing your body to produce its own protection (antibodies) against the virus infection.

Rubella (also known as German measles) is a serious infection that causes miscarriages, stillbirths, or birth defects in unborn babies when pregnant women get the disease. While immunization against rubella is recommended for everyone, it is especially important for women of child-bearing age.

Immunization against rubella is also important for employees in medical facilities, adolescents and adult men, persons traveling outside the U.S., and all children 12 months of age and older, including school-aged children.

Immunization against rubella is not recommended for infants less than 12 months of age, because antibodies they received from their mothers before birth may interfere with the effectiveness of the vaccine. Children who were immunized against rubella before 12 months of age should be immunized again.

You can be considered immune to rubella only if you received rubella vaccine on or after your first birthday and have the medical record to prove it, or if you have had a blood test showing immunity to rubella. A past history of having a rubella infection does not prove immunity, because the signs of rubella infection are not reliable enough to be certain that you have had the disease.

Since vaccination with rubella vaccine may not provide protection for everyone, you may want to ask your doctor to check your immunity to the rubella virus 6 to 8 weeks following your vaccination. This may be especially important if you are a woman of child-bearing age who is likely to become pregnant in the future.

This vaccine is to be administered only by or under the supervision of your doctor or other health care professional.