<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"What is&amp;amp;nbsp;Repevax used for?  Booster vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio for children from three years of age, as part of the childhood immunisation schedule. Children are called for this booster between three and five years of age. This vaccine may also be given to people who have not had a whooping cough containing vaccine in the last ten years and who have been in close contact with someone who has whooping cough. In response to the current UK outbreak of whooping cough, this vaccine is also being given to pregnant women in order to protect their babies from whooping cough after they are born. The vaccine boosts the number of whooping cough antibodies that pass through the placenta to the developing baby. This will help protect the newborn baby from catching whooping cough before they are given their first immunisations at two months. Pregnant women should preferably be given the vaccine between 28 and 32 weeks of pregnancy, but if necessary it can be given any time between 28 weeks and the start of labour. If you get pregnant again, you should be given this vaccine during each pregnancy to protect each baby.  New mothers who have never had a whooping cough vaccine (including during pregnancy) can also be given this vaccine to help protect them from whooping cough and thus avoid them passing this infection on to their newborn baby. This will help protect the baby before it is given its first immunisations at two months of age.  How does&amp;amp;nbsp;Repevax work? Repevax is a combination vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis) and polio. It contains inactivated extracts of the four different organisms that cause these diseases.  Diphtheria toxoid is a modified toxin produced by the bacteria that causes diphtheria. Tetanus toxoid is a modified toxin produced by the bacteria that causes tetanus. Acellular pertussis vaccine consists of three components of the bacteria that causes whooping cough. Inactivated poliovirus is an inactivated form of the virus that causes polio.  The vaccine works by provoking the body&amp;#039;s immune response to these organisms, without actually causing the diseases.  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. They then 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&amp;#039;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. Repevax causes the immune system to produce antibodies that protect the body against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio. It is one injection that is given as a booster against these four diseases. How is&amp;amp;nbsp;Repevax given?  The vaccine is given as a single injection into the muscle of the upper arm.  Important information about&amp;amp;nbsp;Repevax  No vaccine is 100 per cent effective and this vaccine may not protect all people who are given it from contracting diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough or polio. This vaccine can be given to people whose immune systems are underactive, either due to disease such as HIV infection or treatment such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, however, the vaccine may be less effective in these people. (For more information about immunosuppressive treatment see end of factsheet.)  Repevax should not be used in  Children under three years of age. People with a sudden feverish illness (the vaccine should be postponed until after recovery). People who had an allergic reaction to a previous dose of a diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough or polio vaccine. People who are allergic to formaldehyde, gluteraldehyde, or the antibiotics neomycin, streptomycin or polymixin B (these are used in the manufacture of this vaccine). People who experienced severe illness affecting the brain (encephalopathy) within seven days of receiving any previous vaccine against whooping cough.  This vaccine should not be used if you or your child are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you or your child have previously experienced such an allergy. If you feel you or your child have experienced an allergic reaction after having this vaccine, inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately. Repevax should be used with caution in  Children with a personal or family history of febrile convulsions. These children can still be given this vaccine, but your doctor may recommend that you give them a dose of paracetamol or ibuprofen if they develop a temperature after having this vaccine. It is important to follow the instructions given by the doctor and give the recommended dose only. People who experienced neurological complications (affecting the brain, spinal cord or nerves) or serious or severe reactions following a previous vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough or polio. People with a progressive or unstable neurological disorder (affecting the brain, spinal cord or nerves), or illness affecting the brain (encephalopathy), including uncontrolled epilepsy. These people should not be given the vaccine until the condition is treated and under control. People at risk of bleeding following an injection into the muscle, eg people with haemophilia or low levels of platelets in their blood (thrombocytopenia) - these people may be be given the injection under the skin rather than into the muscle.  Pregnancy and breastfeeding Certain vaccines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other vaccines 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 having any vaccine.  This vaccine is currently recommended for women who are pregnant in order to protect their babies from whooping cough after they are born. The vaccine boosts the number of whooping cough antibodies that pass from the mother through the placenta to the developing baby. This will help protect the newborn baby from catching whooping cough before they are given their first immunisations at two months of age. It also protects the mother from whooping cough, which reduces the risk of her catching whooping cough and passing it on to the baby. This vaccine is currently recommended for women who are between 28 and 32 weeks of pregnancy, but if necessary it can be given any time between 28 weeks and the start of labour. It will be given at a routine antenatal appointment. If you get pregnant again, you should be given this vaccine during each pregnancy to protect each subsequent baby. Seek further medical advice from your doctor or midwife.  There is no evidence of risk to the pregnant women or unborn child from vaccines such as this one that contain inactivated bacterial vaccines or toxoids. Use of Repevax in pregnant women to date has not revealed any risk to pregnancy or the unborn child. This vaccine can be given to new mothers who are breastfeeding their babies. As it contains inactivated extracts of the organisms it is not expected to cause any problems in a breastfeeding baby. Ask your doctor or midwife for further information.   Possible side effects of&amp;amp;nbsp;Repevax 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 this 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 organsims and cannot cause the diseases being vaccinated against. Very common or common (affect more than 1 in 100 people)  Pain, redness and swelling at the injection site. Irritability in children. Feeling weak or tired. Headache. Pain or swelling in the joints. Fever. (This can be reduced with paracetamol or ibuprofen - ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice.) Shivering. Nausea and vomiting. Diarrhoea. Rash, bruising or itching at the injection site.  Unknown frequency  Swollen glands. Swelling of the injected arm. Allergic reactions such as hives, facial swelling or shortness of breath. Convulsions. Fainting. Dizziness. Temporary pins and needles or numbness in the injected arm. Nerve problems such as Guillain-Barr\u00E9 syndrome, brachial neuritis or facial palsy.  The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the vaccine&amp;#039;s manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this vaccine, please read the information provided with the vaccine or consult your doctor or pharmacist. If you think you have experienced a side effect from a medicine or vaccine you should check the patient information leaflet. This lists the known side effects and what to do if you get them. You can also get advice from your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. If they think it&amp;#039;s necessary they&amp;#039;ll report it for you. You can also report side effects yourself using the yellow card website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard. How can this vaccine affect other medicines? This vaccine is not known to affect any other medicines. This vaccine can be given to people whose immune systems are suppressed by treatment such as immunosuppressant medicines or chemotherapy. However, unless this treatment is long-term, it is recommended that, where practical, vaccination is postponed until the immunosuppressive treatment is finished, as the vaccine may be less effective in these people. This vaccine may be given at the same time as other vaccines, but if so, the other vaccines should be administered into separate sites and preferably into separate limbs. Other combined diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio vaccines  Infanrix-IPV.  Further reading For background information about our medicine factsheets, including the references used to produce them, click here. Last updated 14.05.2013 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/infections/a8593/repevax-diphtheria-tetanus-whooping-cough-polio-vaccine/>