Dosing requirements. RotaTeq is administered in a 3-dose series at ages 2, 4, and 6 months; Rotarix is given in a 2-dose series at 2 and 4 months of age (TABLE). The first dose of either vaccine should be administered to children between the ages of 6 weeks and 14 weeks, 6 days. (Previously, 12 weeks was the maximum age for the first dose of rotavirus vaccine.) Neither vaccine series should be initiated in infants who are 15 weeks of age or older. The minimum interval between doses is 4 weeks, and the final dose should be administered by the age of 8 months.
It is best to complete the vaccine series with the same product. If the vaccine used initially is not available, the series can be completed with the other product, but the different number of doses required must be considered. If any dose in the series was RotaTeq or you are unable to determine which rotavirus vaccine was administered previously, a total of 3 doses should be given.
HPV and meningococcal vaccine clarification
Human papilloma virus vaccine. The HPV vaccine is recommended for all females ages 11 through 26 years, but ACIP has indicated that girls as young as 9 years may be vaccinated.1
Three doses are required, with the second and third doses administered 2 and 6 months after the first. Because some providers had been administering the third dose at month 4, ACIP issued a clarification in 2008, noting that there should be a minimum of 24 weeks between the first and third dose.
MCV and MPSV. Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV) is preferred over meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (MPSV) for those 55 years of age or younger, although MPSV is an acceptable alternative. ACIP clarified recommendations for revaccination, as follows:
Individuals ages 11 to 55 years who were vaccinated with MPSV should consider revaccination with MCV after 5 years, if the risk of meningococcal meningitis persists. Children ages 2 to 10 years should be revaccinated with MCV 3 years after receiving MPSV.