Auburn University Health Care and Education Clinic and Pharmacy

Each year, beginning in the fall, we offer vaccination against the flu. This vaccination is recommended yearly in all people over the age of 6 months who are able to take it.

Influenza virus causes fever, headache, cough, chills, fatigue, and muscle soreness. It can also lead to serious complications, especially in children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. Vaccination protects both you and those around you from the spread of the virus.

Vaccine series for COVID-19 are available, as well as vaccine boosters. Vaccination protects both you and those around you from the spread of the virus.

A series of these vaccinations are recommended for all individuals age 65 and older or individuals 19-64 with certain medical conditions.

Pneumonia mainly affects the lungs and can range from mild to life-threatening infections. Anyone can get pneumococcal disease, but some people are at greater risk for disease than others. Being a certain age or having the above medical conditions can put you at increased risk for pneumococcal disease. The best way to prevent pneumonia is by getting vaccinated.

Vaccination against tetanus is recommended once every 10 years in people of all ages.

Tetanus (also known as “lockjaw”) is a bacterial disease that causes painful muscle contractions that can interfere with breathing and lead to death.

A one-time immunization is recommended for all patients over 10 years old and for women between weeks 27 through 36 of each pregnancy. This vaccine is especially important for anyone who will be in contact with children less than two years of age. TDaP takes the place of one tetanus (Td) vaccination, which is recommended for one dose every 10 years.

Tetanus (also known as lockjaw) is a bacterial disease that causes painful muscle contractions that can interfere with breathing and lead to death.

Diphtheria causes a thick covering in the back of the throat leading to breathing problems, paralysis, heart failure, and even death. Diphtheria is spread from person to person, usually through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing, or by touching any object contaminated with the bacteria that cause diphtheria. Even with treatment, about one in 10 people with diphtheria die.

Whooping Cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection that can become a very serious infection, particularly in infants. People with whooping cough usually spread the disease by coughing or sneezing while in close contact with others, who then breathe in the bacteria that can cause the disease. When babies catch whooping cough, the symptoms can be very serious. Young babies could get pneumonia (lung infection), and many have trouble breathing. About half of babies younger than 1-year-old who get whooping cough end up hospitalized. This infection can cause babies to stop breathing, and a few have even died from the disease.

This vaccine is recommended for patients aged 50 years and older to protect against the virus that causes shingles and the related complications. The vaccine is a 2 dose serious separated by 2 to 6 months in most patients.

Patients previously infected with chickenpox are at risk of developing shingles. Shingles appears as a blistering rash that develops on one side of the face or body, typically scabbing over in 7 to 10 days, and clearing up within 2 to 4 weeks. About 1 to 5 days before the rash appears, people will often have pain, itching, or tingling in the area where the rash will develop. The most common complication is severe pain where the shingles rash was located. Shingles can also involve the eye, possibly leading to a loss of vision.

Hepatitis B vaccination is a 2- or 3- dose series and is recommended for all people who may be exposed to bodily fluids, including people who work in a healthcare setting. Additionally, those who are increased risk of developing hepatitis B infection through social or environmental exposure should receive the vaccine.

Hepatitis B is a contagious and serious disease caused by a virus that attacks the liver. The hepatitis B virus (HBV) can cause lifelong infection, cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure, and death. HBV spreads through blood or other body fluids that contain small amounts of blood from an infected person. People can spread the virus even when they have no symptoms. The best way to protect against hepatitis B is by getting the hepatitis B vaccine.

The MMR vaccine is typically given in childhood as a two-dose series, with one dose given between 12 and 15 months, and the second dose given between 4 and 6 years. Adults with no evidence of immunity to measles, mumps, or rubella are recommended to receive one dose of the MMR vaccine, with certain special populations requiring two doses.

Measles is a very contagious respiratory (lung) disease spread through the air by cough, sneezing, or breathing respiratory droplets. In addition, a rash starting at the head and spreading to the rest of the body may occur. About one in five people who develop the measles will be hospitalized, and in serious cases, may result in death.

Mumps are spread through respiratory droplets and present with symptoms for roughly seven to 10 days. Symptoms of mumps can be swollen glands under the jaw or ears, muscle ache, fever, and tiredness.

Rubella is spread through respiratory droplets and can present as a low grade fever, rash, aching joints, swollen glands, cough, and runny nose. Though rubella is typically mild in children, it can cause brain infections in rare cases.

The HPV vaccine is recommended for patients between the ages of 9 and 26 years and is given as a two- or three- shot series, depending on the age at which you are first vaccinated.

HPV is a group of more than 150 related viruses, with some types causing genital warts and cancer, especially cervical cancer. HPV is a very common virus that is transmitted through intimate skin-to-skin contact, with it being the most common sexually transmitted infection. Symptoms can develop years after you have been infected. Though most HPV infections go away on their own, some HPV infections persist. HPV infections that do not go away can cause changes in the cells of the infected area that can lead to genital warts or cancer, which may not have signs or symptoms until it is quite advanced and hard to treat.

The quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (Menactra® or Menveo®) should be given to adolescents aged 11 or 12 years old with a booster given at age 16 years. Adults at an increased risk of developing meningococcal disease are recommended to receive the vaccine as well.

Meningococcal disease is caused by a bacterium called Neisseria meningitidis and is spread from person to person, mainly during close contact with the exchange of respiratory or throat secretions (eg. coughing or kissing), or lengthy contact. Certain people are at increased risk for meningococcal disease, including children, adolescents, and young adults, and other certain environmental conditions. Keeping up to date with recommended vaccinations is the best defense against meningococcal disease.