FluMist 2016-2017 nasal

Influenza (commonly known as "the flu") is a serious disease caused by a virus. Influenza virus can spread from one person to another through small droplets of saliva that are expelled into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can also be passed through contact with objects the infected person has touched, such as a door handle or other surfaces.

Influenza virus nasal vaccine is for use in children and adults, between the ages of 2 and 49 years old, to prevent infection caused by influenza virus. The vaccine is redeveloped each year to contain specific strains of activated (live) flu virus that are recommended by public health officials for that year.

The influenza virus nasal vaccine is a "live virus" vaccine. Influenza virus vaccine is also available in an injectable form, which is a "killed virus" vaccine.

This vaccine works by exposing you to a small dose of the influenza virus, which helps your body to develop immunity to the disease. This vaccine will not treat an active infection that has already developed in the body.

Becoming infected with influenza is much more dangerous to your health than receiving this vaccine. Influenza causes thousands of deaths each year, and hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations. However, like any medicine, this vaccine can cause side effects but the risk of serious side effects is extremely low.

Like any vaccine, influenza virus nasal vaccine may not provide protection from disease in every person. This vaccine will not prevent illness caused by avian flu ("bird flu").

You may not be able to receive this vaccine if you are allergic to eggs, if you or someone in your household has a weak immune system, if you are under 18 years old and have recently taken aspirin, or if you have a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome or severe allergic reaction to a flu vaccine.

You should not receive a booster dose of this vaccine if you had a life-threatening allergic reaction after the first dose.

You may not be able to receive an influenza virus nasal vaccine if you are allergic to eggs, or if you have:

• a history of severe allergic reaction to a flu vaccine;

• a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome (within 6 weeks after receiving a flu vaccine);

• a weak immune system caused by disease, bone marrow transplant, or by using certain medicines or receiving cancer treatments;

• if someone in your household has a weak immune system; or

• if you are under 18 years old and have recently taken aspirin.

To make sure influenza virus nasal vaccine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have (or the child receiving this vaccine has):

• asthma, wheezing, or other breathing disorder;

• a history of seizures;

• a neurologic disorder or disease affecting the brain (or if this was a reaction to a previous vaccine); or

• used a flu medication such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza) within the past 48 hours.

You can still receive a vaccine if you have a minor cold. In the case of a more severe illness with a fever or any type of infection, wait until you get better before receiving this vaccine.

Nasal spray influenza vaccine is not recommended for use in pregnant women. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that pregnant women get a flu shot during any trimester of pregnancy to protect themselves and their newborn babies from flu.

It is not known whether influenza virus nasal vaccine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

This vaccine is not approved for anyone younger than 2 or older than 49 years of age.

This vaccine is given as a nasal spray into each nostril. A healthcare provider will give you this vaccine. A child receiving this vaccine may need a repeat dose 1 month after receiving the first vaccine.

You should receive a flu vaccine every year. Your immunity will gradually decrease over the 12 months after you receive the influenza virus nasal vaccine.

The influenza virus nasal vaccine is usually given in October or November. Some people may need to have their vaccines earlier or later. Follow your doctor's instructions.

Your doctor may recommend treating fever and pain with an aspirin-free pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, and others) when the vaccine is given and for the next 24 hours. Follow the label directions or your doctor's instructions about how much of this medicine to take.

It is especially important to prevent fever from occurring if you have a seizure disorder such as epilepsy.

An overdose of this vaccine is unlikely to occur.