Indication Vaccinations

Indication vaccinations are vaccinations that are given because of an increased individual health risk. These include:

  • TBE (early summer meningoencephalitis).
  • Gynatren vaccination*
  • Herpes zoster (shingles)*
  • HiB (Haemophilus influenzae type b)
  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Influenza (flu)
  • Measles (Morbilli)
  • Meningococcal
  • Pertussis (whooping cough)
  • Pneumococcus
  • Poliomyelitis (polio)
  • Rubella (German measles)
  • Swine flu vaccination*
  • StroVac vaccination*
  • Varicella (chickenpox)

* Vaccinations for which there is no recommendation of the Robert Koch Institute (STIKO).

Contraindications

The following general contraindications to vaccination must be considered:

  • Acute illnesses requiring treatment – ill persons should be vaccinated at the earliest two weeks after complete recovery.
  • Allergies to components of the vaccine
  • During pregnancy, only urgently indicated vaccinations should be performed
  • In case of congenital or acquired immunodeficiencies, consultation with the attending physician should be made before vaccination with a live vaccine; after vaccination, a serological success control should be performed

The following symptoms/diseases are not contraindications to vaccination:

  • Banal infections with temperatures < 38.5 °C
  • Seizures in the family
  • Disposition for febrile convulsions
  • Localized skin infections, eczema
  • Therapy with antibiotics, corticosteroids (low dose).
  • Congenital/acquired immunodeficiencies when vaccinated with inactivated vaccines.
  • Neonatal icterus
  • Premature infants should be vaccinated according to the recommended age of vaccination.

Vaccination intervals

Basically, for intervals between different vaccinations:

  • Live vaccines can be administered simultaneously; if they are not administered simultaneously,then an interval of four weeks should be observed for live viral vaccines
  • No intervals need to be observed for inactivated vaccines

Time intervals between vaccinations and surgery:

  • In the case of urgent indication for surgery, no time interval must be observed
  • Beieinem Wahlleingriff should be waited after vaccination with an inactivated vaccine at least 3 days and when vaccinated with a live vaccine at least 14 days.

Vaccination reactions

The following vaccination reactions are more common:

  • Local reaction with redness, swelling around the injection site – usually occur 6 to 48 hours after vaccination.
  • General reactionswith fever (< 39.5 C°), headache / limb pain, malaise – usually occur in the first 72 hours after vaccination
  • Vaccine sickness -possible up to 4 weeks after MMR vaccination; it comes to measles / mumps-like symptoms with increased body temperature.
  • Severe side effects are extremely rare