ACWY Vax

How does it work?

ACWY Vax is a meningitis vaccine that contains inactivated extracts of meningococcal bacteria types A, C, W135 and Y. It is known as a quadrivalent vaccine. The vaccine works by provoking the body's immune response, without causing the disease.

When the body is exposed to foreign organisms, such as bacteria and viruses, the immune system produces antibodies against them. Antibodies help the body recognise and kill the foreign organisms. The antibodies remain in the body to help protect the body against future infections with the same organism. This is known as active immunity.

The immune system produces different antibodies for each foreign organism it encounters. This establishes a pool of antibodies that helps protect the body from various different diseases.

Vaccines contain extracts or inactivated forms of bacteria or viruses that cause disease. These altered forms of the organisms stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies against them, but don't actually cause disease themselves. The antibodies produced remain in the body so that if the organism is encountered naturally, the immune system can recognise it and attack it. This prevents it from causing disease.

Each bacteria or virus stimulates the immune system to produce a specific type of antibody, and this means that different vaccines are needed to prevent different diseases.

This meningococcal vaccine stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies against groups A, C, W135 and Y strains of meningococcal bacteria. It prevents meningitis caused by these types of bacteria.

This vaccine is not given routinely. It is only given to people who are at high risk of contracting meningitis caused by these strains, such as people living in or travelling to high risk areas, for example parts of Africa. You can see if you need this vaccine by looking at the travel section of this site. Visitors who are travelling to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages to Mecca will need to produce a certificate of vaccination with this quadrivalent meningitis vaccine, before they can be issued with a visa.

The vaccine can also be given to close contacts of meningitis victims, and to groups of people in the area of a local outbreak, in order to prevent the spread of infection. The vaccine can be given to people who have previously been vaccinated with the single meningitis C vaccine, in order to provide protection against disease caused by the A, W135 and Y strains of meningococcal bacteria.

One dose provides protection against infection in 90% of older children and adults in two to three weeks. Immunity lasts for five years in adults and children over five years, after which a booster dose may be required. Children under five should be considered for a booster two to three years after vaccination, if they are still at high risk of contracting the disease.

Although this vaccine protects for up to five years, the Government of Saudi Arabia will only issue a visa for travellers to Hajj and Umrah if your vaccination certificate is less than two years old. This means that if the last time you had this vaccine was more than two years ago, you will need to have a booster dose to get a new vaccination certificate and a visa.

What is it used for?

Vaccination against meningitis caused by groups A, C, W135 and Y meningococcal bacteria.

Warning!

People whose immune system is underactive, for example due to a genetic defect, HIV infection, or treatment with medicines that suppress the immune system, such as chemotherapy, high doses of corticosteroids, or medicines to prevent transplant rejection, may not produce an adequate immune response to this vaccine. For further advice talk to your doctor.

This vaccine is not suitable for preventing group C meningitis in children under two years of age, as it does not produce a protective immune response in this age group. Children under two years of age should receive a meningitis C vaccine as part of their childhood vaccinations. This vaccine does produce protection against groups A, W and Y meningitis in children under two, but this is likely to be short-lived and unreliable.

This vaccine only provides protection against meningitis caused by groups A, C, W135 and Y meningococcal bacteria. It will not protect against other groups of meningococcal bacteria, or other organisms that cause meningitis or septicaemia (blood poisoning).

Not to be used in

Babies under 2 months of age

People with a severe feverish illness.

This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy. If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.

This vaccine has not been studied in pregnant or breastfeeding women. It should only be given to pregnant or breastfeeding women if the risk of exposure to the disease is considered to be high and the expected benefit of the vaccine outweighs any potential risk to the baby. Seek medical advice from your doctor.

Side effects

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

Pain, swelling, redness or hardening of the skin at the injection site

Headache

Fatigue

Fever

Sleepiness (somnolence)

Very rarely, allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

This vaccine is not known to affect other medicines.

When other vaccines are given at the same time, they should be given at a different injection site.

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