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Meningitis Shot Side Effects

Meningitis is a serious medical condition that results when the meninges, the protective membranes covering the spinal cord and brain, become infected. This is usually the result of an infection. Depending on what is causing the inflammation, meningitis can be a serious and even life-threatening condition. The classic symptoms of the condition include a high fever, a stiff neck and a severe headache. The vaccine can be prevented with a vaccine called the meningococcal conjugate vaccine, or MCV4. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children between the ages of 11 and 12 receive the MCV4 vaccine as part of the normal immunization schedule.

  1. Injection Site

    • About half of people who receive the meningitis shot will experience some mild pain or redness at the injection site, according to the CDC. These are no cause for concern. It usually subsides within a day or two of receiving the shot.

    Fever

    • In rare cases, people receiving the meningitis vaccine will develop a low-grade fever of between 99 degrees and 101 degrees F. The fever is no cause for concern and will usually come down within a day or two. If it becomes bothersome, it can be treated with fever-lowering drugs such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

    Allergic Reactions

    • In rare cases, people receiving the meningitis shot will develop a severe allergic reaction as a result of the vaccine, typically within a few minutes or a few hours of it being administered, according to the CDC. Common signs of a severe allergic reaction include hives, a rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, wheezing or swelling of the face, lips, throat and tongue. Because people can go into shock when suffering a severe allergic reaction, immediate medical treatment is important.

    Guillain-Barre Syndrome

    • In extremely rare cases, some people who have received the meningitis shot have developed Guillain-Barre syndrome, a serious disorder of the nervous system in which the body's immune system attacks the nerves. Because the reaction is so rare, it has not yet been determined if the meningitis vaccine is causing the syndrome, according to the CDC.

    Warnings

    • The meningitis vaccine is not safe for all people. Women who are pregnant should not receive the vaccine unless absolutely necessary; the meningitis shot is new and has not been studied in pregnant women as much as other vaccines. People who have severe allergies to any of the components of the vaccine should not get the shot, and neither should people who have had a serious reaction to a previous dose of a meningococcal vaccine. Additionally, people who are sick or who have a fever should wait until they are feeling better to get the shot.

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