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continued:
Vaccines for adults: Which do you need?
Measles, mumps and rubella
Measles, mumps and rubella are viral infections. Measles causes a red, blotchy skin rash. Complications can include ear infection, pneumonia and inflammation of the brain (encephalitis). Mumps causes swelling in the salivary glands, located below and in front of your ears. Rubella, also called German measles, causes a distinctive red rash. Rubella is most serious if it develops during pregnancy.
Who needs it
Get the combined measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine if you were born during or after 1957 and didn't have the vaccine as a child or adolescent.
The MMR vaccine isn't recommended if you had a severe reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine or to gelatin or the antibiotic neomycin, you're currently ill, you're pregnant, you have a weak immune system, or you recently had a blood transfusion.
When to have it
Get one dose of the MMR vaccine at any time. Get a second dose at least four weeks after the first dose if you're a health care worker, you travel internationally, you're a college student, or you had a rubella blood test that shows no immunity.
Human papillomavirus
Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection. Most people who have HPV don't develop symptoms. For some people, however, an HPV infection can lead to genital warts or, for women, cervical cancer.
Who needs it
Get the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine if:
- You're a woman age 26 or younger and didn't have the vaccine as an adolescent
- You're a man age 21 or younger and didn't have the vaccine as an adolescent — although men can get the vaccine through age 26, if desired
The HPV vaccine isn't recommended if you had a severe reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine, you have a severe allergy to yeast or latex, you're pregnant, or you're currently ill.
When to have it
Get one dose of the HPV vaccine at any time. Get a second dose one to two months after the first dose, and a third dose six months after the first dose.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a potentially serious liver infection.
Who needs it
Get the hepatitis A vaccine if:
- You want to protect yourself from hepatitis A
- You have a clotting-factor disorder or chronic liver disease
- You're a man who has sex with men
- You inject illicit drugs
- You're a health care worker who might be exposed to hepatitis A in a lab setting
- You travel to or work in parts of the world where hepatitis A is common
The hepatitis A vaccine isn't recommended if you had a severe reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine, you have a severe allergy to latex or you're currently ill.
When to have it
Get one dose of the hepatitis A vaccine at any time. Get a second dose six at least six months after the first dose.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is another type of liver infection. For some people, hepatitis B becomes chronic — leading to long-term liver problems.
Who needs it
Get the hepatitis B vaccine if:
- You want to protect yourself from hepatitis B
- You're sexually active but not in a mutually monogamous relationship
- You're a man who has sex with men
- You have close contact or sex with a person infected with hepatitis B
- You inject illicit drugs
- You're receiving hemodialysis
- You're a health care or public safety worker who might be exposed to infected blood or body fluids
- You live with someone who has a chronic hepatitis B infection
- You travel to or work in parts of the world where hepatitis B is common
- You're age 59 or younger and have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and haven't received the hepatitis B vaccine
If you're age 60 or older and have diabetes, ask your doctor if the hepatitis B vaccine is right for you. The hepatitis B vaccine isn't recommended if you had a severe reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine, you have a severe allergy to yeast or you're currently ill.
When to have it
Get one dose of the hepatitis B vaccine at any time. Get a second dose one month after the first dose. Get a third dose at least two months after the second dose and at least four months after the first dose.
Shingles (herpes zoster)
Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. Anyone who has recovered from chickenpox might eventually develop shingles.
Who needs it
Get the shingles vaccine if you're age 60 or older.
The shingles vaccine isn't recommended if you're currently ill, you had a severe reaction to gelatin or the antibiotic neomycin, you have a weak immune system or you're pregnant.
When to have it
Get one dose of the shingles vaccine at any time.
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
Hib is a bacterium that causes potentially serious infections, including pneumonia, meningitis and swelling of the piece of cartilage that covers the windpipe (epiglottitis).
Who needs it
Get one dose of the Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine if:
- You have certain health conditions, such as sickle cell disease, leukemia or HIV
- You had your spleen removed
The Hib vaccine isn't recommended if you had a severe reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine or you're currently ill.
When to have it
Get one dose of the Hib vaccine at any time.
(2 of 2)
- Recommended adult immunization schedule: United States, 2012. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/default.htm. Accessed Feb. 15, 2012.
- Key facts about influenza (flu) and flu vaccine. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm. Accessed Feb. 20, 2012.
- Vaccines and preventable diseases: Who should not get vaccinated with these vaccines? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/should-not-vacc.htm#pcv7. Accessed Feb. 20, 2012.
- Pneumococcal disease in-short. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/pneumo/in-short-both.htm. Accessed Feb. 20, 2012.
- Tetanus disease in-short (lockjaw). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/tetanus/in-short-both.htm. Accessed Feb. 20, 2012.
- Diphtheria in-short. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/diphtheria/in-short-both.htm. Accessed Feb. 20, 2012.
- Pertussis (whooping cough) — What you need to know. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Pertussis. Accessed Feb. 20, 2012.
- Meningitis questions and answers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/about/faq.html. Accessed Feb. 20, 2012.
- Chickenpox (varicella): Complications. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/chickenpox/about/complications.html. Accessed Feb. 20, 2012.
- Overview of measles disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/overview.html. Accessed Feb. 20, 2012.
- Complications of mumps. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/mumps/about/complications.html. Accessed Feb. 20, 2012.
- Rubella disease in-short (German Measles). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/rubella/in-short-adult.htm. Accessed Feb. 20, 2012.
- Genital HPV infection — Fact sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm. Accessed Feb. 20, 2012.
- Hepatitis B FAQs for the public. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/B/bFAQ.htm#bFAQ15. Accessed Feb. 20, 2012.
- Shingles (herpes zoster). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/shingles/about/overview.html. Accessed Feb. 20, 2012.
- Hib in-short. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/hib/in-short-adult.htm. Accessed Feb. 20, 2012.
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