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Table of Contents (click to jump to sections)
What is Flumist used for?
Who should not take Flumist?
What are some possible side effects?
What is Flumist used for?
FluMist is approved to prevent influenza illness because of influenza A and B viruses in healthy children and adolescents, ages 5-17 years, and healthy adults, ages 18-49 years.
Who should not take Flumist?
As with any medication, individuals should check with their health care provider before receiving any flu vaccines. According to the approved package insert, the following people should not get the intranasal influenza vaccine:
- Adults 50 years of age or older, or children younger than 5 should not receive FluMist.
- FluMist should not be given for any reason to persons with immune suppression. This includes persons with primary immune deficiency diseases, as well as persons with immune deficiencies related to HIV infection, cancer, or other conditions, and people who are being treated with drugs that cause immunosuppression.
- The safety of FluMist in persons with asthma or other reactive airway diseases has not been established, and therefore, is not recommended for use in patients with a history of reactive airway problems.
- Additionally, FluMist should not be given to persons with chronic underlying medical conditions that may predispose them to severe flu infections. For these people, the injected vaccine is indicated.
- Individuals with egg allergies should not receive this or any other flu vaccine without first consulting their physicians.
- People who have health problems associated with heart disease, kidney disease, lung disease, or metabolic diseases such as diabetes, anemia and other blood disorders should not receive FluMist.
- Because Reye syndrome in children has been associated with administration of aspirin during influenza virus infections, FluMist is not recommended in children and adolescents 5-17 years of age if they are receiving aspirin or aspirin-containing therapy.
- Pregnant women should not receive FluMist.
- Anyone with a history of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) should not receive FluMist.
- FluMist recipients should avoid close contact (e.g., within the same household) with anyone with a weakened immune system for at least 21 days after receiving the vaccine.
What are some possible side effects of Flumist?
Nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, headache, irritability, decreased activity, muscle ache and cough are the most common adverse events associated with the vaccine.
However, a vaccine, like any medicine, is capable of causing serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. The risk of a vaccine causing serious harm, or death, is tremendously small, and serious problems from flu vaccine are rare.
For more detailed information about Flumist, ask your health care provider. |
