What is the meningitis ACWY vaccine used for?
- Preventing meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning) caused by groups A, C, W135 and Y meningococcal bacteria. There are two brands of the meningitis ACWY vaccine available, Nimenrix and Menveo.
The vaccine is recommended for teenagers aged 13-15 (school years nine or ten) and for all students under 25 years of age who are starting university for the first time and who haven't already had the vaccine. (Older teenagers and new university students are at higher risk of infection because they mix closely with lots of new people, some of whom may unknowingly carry the meningococcal bacteria which live in the back of the nose and throat in about 1 in 10 people without causing any symptoms or illness. ).
The vaccine is also recommended for people travelling to areas where there is a high risk of contracting meningitis A,C,W or Y, for example parts of Africa. Visitors who are travelling to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages to Mecca will need to produce a certificate of vaccination with a meningitis ACWY vaccine before they can be issued with a visa. You can see if you need this vaccine by searching on NetDoctor for the country you are travelling to.
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 to provide additional protection against the A, W and Y strains of meningococcal bacteria, as well as boosting protection against men C.
How does the meningitis ACWY vaccine work?
The Men ACWY vaccine contains inactivated extracts of four types of Neisseria meningitidis bacteria (types A, C, W135 and Y), which are some of the bacteria that can cause meningitis.
The vaccine stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies against these types of meningococcal bacteria, without actually causing meningitis. The antibodies stay in the body so that if you are exposed to the bacteria, the immune system can recognise and attack them. This prevents them from causing meningitis or septicaemia.
How is the meningitis ACWY vaccine given?
- This vaccine is usually given as a single injection into the muscle of the upper arm.
- Booster doses are not currently recommended.
What should I know before having the meningitis ACWY vaccine?
- The Men ACWY only protects against meningitis caused by groups A, C, W135 and Y meningococcal bacteria. It won't protect against other groups of meningococcal bacteria, or other organisms that cause meningitis or septicaemia (blood poisoning). Also, as with all vaccines, it may not be effective in everyone who has it, so it's still important to be know how to spot symptoms of these illnesses.
- People whose immune system is underactive, for example due to a genetic defect, dysfunction or removal of the spleen, HIV infection, or treatment with medicines that suppress the immune system, such as chemotherapy, high doses of corticosteroids, or immunosuppressants (eg to prevent transplant rejection), may not produce an adequate immune response to this vaccine and may need extra doses. If this applies to you, get advice from your doctor.
Who shouldn't have the meningitis ACWY vaccine?
- People with a severe feverish illness. The vaccine should be postponed until after you have got better. You don't need to postpone the vaccine if you have a minor illness like a cold.
- People who have previously had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to any ingredient of the vaccine.
- The Nimenrix brand of this vaccine is not licensed for children under 12 months of age. The Menveo brand is not licensed for children under two years of age.
The meningitis ACWY vaccine should be used with caution in
- People at risk of bleeding following an injection into the muscle, eg people with haemophilia or low levels of platelets in their blood (thrombocytopenia), or people taking anticoagulants such as warfarin.
Can I have the Men ACWY vaccine while pregnant or breastfeeding?
- You should get advice from your doctor before having the meningitis ACWY vaccine if you are or think you could be pregnant. The safety of the vaccine when given during pregnancy has not been specifically studied. However, as it contains inactivated extracts of bacteria it is not expected to be harmful to a developing baby. Any risk to the baby from having this vaccine is far lower than the risk to the baby if you contracted meningitis during pregnancy.
- You should also get advice from your doctor before having the meningitis ACWY vaccine if you are breastfeeding. The safety of the vaccine in women who are breastfeeding has not been specifically studied. However, since it contains inactivated bacteria it's unlikely to be harmful to a nursing infant if given to women who are breastfeeding.
What are the possible side effects of the meningitis ACWY vaccine?
Vaccines 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 the Men ACWY vaccine. Just because a side effect is stated here does not mean that all people having this vaccine will experience that or any side effect.
This vaccine contains no live bacteria and cannot cause meningitis or septicaemia.
Very common (affect more than 1 in 10 people)
- Pain, swelling and redness at the injection site.
- Loss of appetite.
- Aching muscles.
Common (affect between 1 in 10 and 1 in 100 people)
- Rash or itching.
- Aching joints.
- Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Uncommon (affect between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1000 people)
- Feeling generally unwell.
- Extensive swelling or redness of the limb into which the injection was given.
Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you want any more information about the possible side effects of the meningitis ACWY vaccine. If you think you or your child have experienced a side effect, did you know you can report this using the yellow card website?
Can the meningitis ACWY vaccine affect other vaccines or medicines?
This vaccine is not known to affect other medicines. But if you're taking medicines that suppress the activity of the immune system, for example chemotherapy, high-dose corticosteroids, or immunosuppressants, eg used following an organ transplant, you may not produce adequate numbers of antibodies in response to the vaccine. If you're taking any of these medicines you should discuss this with your doctor.
If other vaccines are given at the same time as this one they should be administered into separate sites and preferably into separate limbs.
Other meningitis vaccines
Last updated 03.06.2020