Rubella Virus Vaccine Side Effects

Brand Names: Meruvax II

Please note - some side effects for Rubella Virus Vaccine may not be reported. Always consult your doctor or healthcare specialist for medical advice. You may also report side effects to the FDA.

Side Effects of Rubella Virus Vaccine - for the Consumer

Rubella Virus Vaccine

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Rubella Virus Vaccine:

Burning or stinging at the injection site; diarrhea; dizziness; fever; general feeling of being unwell; headache; irritability; muscle or joint ache; nausea; tiredness; vomiting.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); fainting; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin; unusual bruising or bleeding; vision or hearing changes.

This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. To report side effects to the appropriate agency, please read the Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA.

Side Effects by Body System - for Healthcare Professionals

Local

Local side effects have included injection site burning/stinging, wheal and flare, erythema, pain, and induration.

Hypersensitivity

Hypersensitivity reactions have included anaphylaxis, anaphylactoid reactions, angioneurotic edema (including peripheral or facial edema), and bronchial spasm.

Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular side effects have included vasculitis.

Dermatologic

Dermatologic side effects have included Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, erythema multiforme, urticaria, and rash.

Gastrointestinal

Gastrointestinal side effects have included pancreatitis; diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea.

Hematologic

Hematologic side effects have included thrombocytopenia, purpura, regional lymphadenopathy, and leukocytosis.

Musculoskeletal

Musculoskeletal side effects have included arthralgia and/or arthritis (usually transient and rarely chronic), myalgia, paresthesia, and rarely chronic arthritis; these symptoms may also occur with natural rubella.

The vaccine has rarely been associated with chronic joint symptoms. The incidence of arthritis and arthralgia is generally higher in adult women than in children (women, 12% to 26%; children, 0% to 3%), and symptoms tend to be more marked and of longer duration, persisting for months or years (rare). In adolescent girls, the incidence of reactions appears to be intermediate between those seen in children and in women. These reactions are generally well tolerated and rarely interfere with normal activities, even in women over 35 years old.

Nervous system

Nervous system side effects have included encephalitis, Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), polyneuritis, polyneuropathy, and paresthesia.

Ocular

Ocular side effects have included optic neuritis, papillitis, retrobulbar neuritis, and conjunctivitis.

Other

Otic side effects have included nerve deafness and otitis media.

Respiratory

Respiratory side effects have included sore throat, cough, and rhinitis.

Other

A postmarketing surveillance study of measles/mumps/rubella vaccine in Finland during 1982 to 1993 with 1.5 million pediatric and adult vaccinees reported no deaths or permanent sequelae.

Other side effects have included fever, syncope, headache, dizziness, malaise, and irritability. Fatalities have been reported with the polyvalent measles/mumps/rubella vaccine; however, causality has not been determined.

Health care providers should report any allergic or unusual adverse reactions to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) at 1-800-822-7967 (USA) and the manufacturer.

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