| What
is the routine schedule for giving IPV to children? |
 |
| Four doses of polio vaccine (IPV) are
routinely recommended for U.S. children at ages 2 months, 4 months,
6-18 months, and 4-6 years. The first dose may
be given as early as age 6 weeks. If dose #3 is given after the 4th birthday,
dose #4 is not needed unless mandated by the state health department for school
entry. |
|
| What is the schedule for older children
who
have not completed their IPV series? |
|
| The schedule for polio vaccination for
unvaccinated or undervaccinated older children through age 17 years
is 2 doses of IPV separated by 4–8 weeks, and a
third dose 6–12 months after the second dose. If an accelerated schedule is needed,
three doses separated by at least 4 weeks may be given. Polio vaccine is not
routinely administered to persons 18 years of age and older. |
|
| Should adults get vaccinated against
polio? |
|
| Routine vaccination of persons 18 years
of age and older against polio is not necessary because most adults
are already immune and also have little risk of
being exposed to wild polio virus.
Certain adults are at increased risk of
infection, including travelers to areas were polio is common, laboratory
workers who handle specimens that might contain polioviruses, and healthcare
workers in close contact with patients who might be excreting wild
polioviruses in their stool (such as those caring for recent immigrants
from central Africa or parts
of Asia).
If an adult is at increased risk of exposure
and has never been vaccinated against polio, he or she should receive
three doses of IPV, the first two doses given 1-2 months apart, and
the third 6-12 months after the second. If time will not allow the
completion of this schedule, a more accelerated schedule is possible
(each dose separated four weeks from the
previous dose).
If an adult at risk previously received only one
or two doses of polio vaccine (either OPV or IPV), he or she should receive the
remaining dose(s) of IPV, regardless of the interval since the last dose.
If an adult at increased risk previously completed
a primary course of polio vaccine (three or more doses of either OPV or IPV),
he or she may be given another dose of IPV to ensure protection. Only
one "booster" dose of polio vaccine in a person's lifetime is recommended.
It is not necessary to receive a booster dose each time a person travels to an
area
where polio may still occur. |
|
| A 4-year-old's vaccine records show
that she had 4 IPVs, given at 2m, 4m, 6m, and age 2. Should she
have a booster dose? |
|
| Seroconversion rates following 3 doses of IPV at 2, 4, and 6 months
of age
are 99–100% for all three polio vaccine viruses. A "booster" dose is
usually recommended at school entry (4-6 years of age), mainly to assure long-term
protection. From the standpoint of protection it isn't necessary to give a fifth
dose of IPV to a child who received 4 doses before 2 years of age. However, many
states mandate a dose of polio vaccine to be administered on or after 4 years
of age as a requirement for school entry. In this situation just give a fifth
dose
at school entry. There is no harm in giving an additional dose. |
|
| Is it true that IPV can be given either
SC or
IM? |
|
| Yes. |
|
| What is the risk of serious reactions
following IPV? |
|
| There are no severe reactions known to
occur following IPV. |
|
| Reviewed on 4/07 |
|
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