Contraindications

• acute febrile illness - immunisation should be postponed
• meningococcal vaccines should not be given to those who have had:
  • a confirmed anaphylactic reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine
  • a confirmed anaphylactic reaction to any constituent of the vaccine including meningococcal polysaccharide, diphtheria toxoid or the CRM197 carrier protein, or tetanus toxoid

Confirmed anaphylaxis after immunisation is extremely rare with anaphylactoid reactions reported approximately one in every 500,000 doses

Other allergic conditions, such as rashes, may occur more commonly and are not contraindications to further immunisation

Where there is doubt, appropriate advice should be sought from a consultant paediatrician, immunisation co-ordinator or consultant in communicable disease control rather than withhold immunisation

Reference:

1. Immunisation Against Infectious Disease - "The Green Book".Chapter 22 meningococcal (August 2006)