In the article, we consider the instructions for use with Sinflorix.
In fact, this drug belongs to a special category of pneumococcal vaccines, in which the antigens are additionally conjugated by protein D. In addition, Sinflorix includes antigens specially conjugated to diphtheria and tetanus toxoids. It is worth noting that the composition of this unique vaccine also includes 10 topical serotypes of the Streptococcus pneumoniae class, thanks to which the vaccine meets all the requirements of the health authorities.
This vaccine is a 10-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugated with Haemophilus influenzae D protein, diphtheria and tetanus toxoids adsorbed to prevent pneumococcal infection. The manufacturer of Sinflorix is the Russian company GlaxoSmithKline Trading.
Vaccination today is one of the most powerful barriers to the development of many human diseases. Immunization is carried out according to the National vaccination calendar. But there are vaccines that are not included in the list of must-haves. This is the Sinflorix.
Composition and form of release
The vaccine is used for children from 6 weeks of age to 5 years as a preventive measure against pneumococcal infections. This pharmacological product is available in the form of a white liquid for injection. During sedimentation, two layers are formed: a precipitate and a supernatant clear liquid.
The pneumococcal polysaccharides of various serotypes are used as the main active elements in the vaccine. Serotypes are subspecies of a single pathogenic bacterium that differ in antigenic structure. In one injection dosage (1/2 milliliter) contains:
- three micrograms of 19F, 4, 18C serotypes;
- one microgram of 1, 5, 9V, 6B, 7F, 14, 23F serotypes;
- protein D of untyped hemophilus influenzae strains, tetanus and diphtheria proteins;
- aluminum phosphate - as an adsorbent.
Sterile water for injection is used as a solvent.
Pharmacological properties of vaccination
As a result of the main pharmacological action of this medication, specific immunoglobulins are produced in the body. The Sinflorix vaccine contains extracts of the ten most common bacterial strains of Streptococcus pneumonia. These microorganisms are responsible for the occurrence of such pathologies as pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis, otitis media. The vaccine acts in such a way that causes an active immune response, but does not provoke the development of a true disease.
When the body is influenced by foreign agents, such as bacteria or viruses, the human immune system begins to actively produce antibodies against them that help to recognize and destroy pathogens. Subsequently, they remain in the human body to protect him from encountering infections caused by the same pathogen.
Thus, active immunity is formed. Doctors call it specific, because it works exclusively against a specific virus or bacterium. Sinflorix vaccine contains polysaccharides of pneumococcal strains, which most often provoke infectious pathological processes. These components, along with the proteins of diphtheria, hemophilic bacillus and tetanus, have increased immunogenicity and low virulence.
They are able to induce the production of antibodies without causing an outbreak of this infection. The immune memory that remains after vaccination allows you to quickly recognize a particular pathogen and begin the rapid synthesis of immunoglobulins. Thus, the pathological process is suppressed at the initial stage of its development.
Indications and preparation for the introduction of the vaccine
According to the instructions for use, "Sinflorix" is shown at the age of six weeks to five years. It is used to prevent pneumonia, otitis media, meningitis, sepsis and other diseases provoked by Streptococcus pneumonia. Healthy children who do not have certain chronic diseases do not need any preparation for such immunoprophylaxis. Very often they get this vaccine before the child enters kindergarten. In other situations, the possibility of vaccination should always be discussed with a specialist. In order for the baby to take the vaccine as easily as possible, it is necessary to adhere to the following recommendations:
- Do not visit public places a few days before the vaccination. Contact with other children should also be avoided, as they are a potential source of infection.
- It is not recommended to introduce new types of complementary foods to the child, unusual products, since in some cases they can cause the development of an allergic reaction.
- It is important to take care of the psycho-emotional state of the baby. Parents should tell him about the vaccine, how and why it is given.
- If there is a person in the family who suffers from a cold or other infectious diseases, the vaccine must be postponed until his full recovery.
- In the case when the parents are not sure of the absolute health of their child, they should consult a doctor to determine the possibility of vaccination.
Dosage and administration
Vaccination "Sinflorix" is carried out in the deltoid muscle zone or the front of the thigh intramuscularly. Methods of vaccination may vary depending on the age categories of children. Vaccination schedule depending on age:
- 6 weeks - 6 months: in order to develop high immunity, it is recommended that four vaccines be administered. The first injection is carried out at 6 months, the next two - with an interval of 30 days. Revaccination (fourth vaccination) is done 6 months after the last injection of the drug.
- Premature babies: their vaccination methods are identical to the previous ones. The only difference in this case is that the first administration of the vaccine is done at the age of 2 months.
- 7-11 months: vaccination in two doses with an interval of 1 month. Repeated introduction is made in the second year of life.
- 1-5 years: the process of proper vaccination consists of a two-time administration of the drug with an interval of 2 months.
Injection is an invasive procedure that has certain risks. To minimize them, you must adhere to the instructions for use. The Sinflorix vaccine is administered only by intramuscular injection. Before starting a medical procedure, a specialist should measure the temperature in the child. In children up to a year, injection is carried out in the front surface of the thigh, at an older age - in the region of the deltoid muscles. The doctor should evaluate the condition of the vaccine, the presence of mechanical damage, labeling, shelf life. The injection site is treated with an antiseptic solution. In no case should you allow contact between this drug and an antiseptic, as this can lead to the inactivation of the Sinflorix vaccine. The drug is administered after the drug reaches room temperature. The vaccination dosage is ½ milliliter.
During the implementation of this medical manipulation, parents should ask the doctor about the possibility of certain post-vaccination reactions and the consequences of the drug.
Contraindications for vaccine administration
There are certain groups of children for whom the vaccine is prohibited or it is carried out with caution. This category includes:
- the presence of pathological processes in the active phase, which is accompanied by a high temperature (more than 39 ° C);
- babies with confirmed allergies or hypersensitivity to the components of this vaccine.
With some caution, the drug is used in children with coagulopathy. This condition is a bleeding disorder. With intramuscular administration of the vaccine, there is a high probability of damage to blood vessels and the occurrence of bleeding. In children with a history of seizures, vaccination is performed after consulting a pediatrician and prescribing appropriate medications to prevent seizures.
Are complications from the Sinflorix vaccine possible?
Side effects, complications, potential reactions to the vaccine
The occurrence of some side effects from the introduction of the vaccine is due to the individual sensitivity and characteristics of the child's body, as well as the technique of the injection. It is very important to understand that this vaccine does not contain live pathogenic bacteria, but only fragments of their cell walls. Therefore, this medication is not able to cause a true disease. Post-vaccination reactions are classified depending on the frequency of their development on:
- Frequent (in 1 out of 100 children) - infiltrate at the injection site.
- Very frequent (occur in more than 1 out of 10 children) - pain, swelling, hyperemia at the injection site, low-grade fever, decreased appetite, irritability, drowsiness.
- Infrequent (less than 1 in 100 children): bleeding, rash, skin itching, vomiting, diarrhea, pathological crying.
- Rare (in 1 out of 10,000 children): anaphylaxis, cramps, allergic dermatitis.
The complications of this vaccine include the following conditions:
- damage to a blood vessel or nerve;
- the formation of an abscess, lymphadenitis, phlegmon.
Therapy of post-vaccination reactions from the Sinflorix vaccine
Syrups containing paracetamol or ibuprofen are used to treat febrile syndrome after vaccination.
Minor edema, hyperemia and soreness in the injection zone are physiological symptoms that do not require medical intervention. They develop as a result of the inflammatory process in muscle tissues. The aluminum phosphate contained in this vaccine acts as a sorbent. It does not allow polysaccharides to be absorbed into the bloodstream, causing minor local inflammation. Such exposure better stimulates the immune system to combat pathogens.
This is confirmed by the instructions for Sinflorix.
Therapy of pathological side effects involves symptomatic treatment. With the development of a child's fever, antipyretics are used. For the same purpose, it is allowed to use antipyretic drugs. Especially for children, these medicines are in the form of syrups. With the development of allergic reactions, desensitizing and antihistamine pharmacological drugs are prescribed.
Opinion and recommendations of specialists
Do I need to put the Sinflorix vaccine in front of the kindergarten? Let's figure it out.
It is widely believed among parents that vaccination of a child depends only on their desire. Doctors ask such people the question - how can they protect the baby from dangerous infectious diseases and their consequences. In this case, most often, there is no answer. The positive effect of vaccination has been tested on many generations. The main reasons why doctors recommend vaccinations:
- For over 100 years, vaccines have been protecting people from dangerous diseases.
- Vaccinations in childhood allow you to quickly adapt to the external environment. Moreover, a person develops antibodies to dangerous diseases and significantly reduces the risk of getting sick.
- Vaccination is important against diseases in the fight against which medicine is powerless. They are diphtheria and polio.
- Due to the deterioration of the ecological situation, immunity is reduced in children.
- The vaccine uses only bacterial components, in particular polysaccharides, which do not have virulence and do not cause a real disease.
Given these facts, the usefulness of vaccination leaves no doubt.
Drug interaction
Sinflorix is used in parallel with other vaccines, provided that they are administered in different parts of the body. The use of the drug during treatment with immunosuppressants, cytostatics, chemotherapy is allowed. In this case, there is a likelihood of not receiving an immune response, since the immune system is strongly weakened due to the effects of the above medicines.
The use of immunoglobulins also reduces the immune response to vaccination. However, the necessary pool of specific antibodies is not produced.
Analogs
There are other prophylactic vaccines against infections caused by bacteria from the class of pneumococci. These include:
- "Prevenar", which provides immunity from 7 strains of this pathogen;
- Prevenar 13, to which another 6 strains were added;
- Pneumovax II is a multivalent vaccine that contains 23 strains of pneumococcal polysaccharides.
All of the above vaccinations are licensed by WHO and successfully used in practice.
Sinflorix vaccine reviews
Parents of children who were vaccinated with this drug left a lot of positive reviews about it. In most cases, this vaccination was well tolerated by babies.
According to reviews of Sinflorix, children often experienced a slight increase in temperature, which, according to medical staff, indicates the formation of immunity to diseases caused by pneumococci. Severe allergic reactions and other pathological conditions were not noted by parents.
We reviewed the instructions for the Sinflorix vaccine.