1. Travel Health and Vaccines Slideshow Pictures

What happens if I miss a dose (Dryvax)?

Since smallpox vaccine is usually given as a single dose, you are not likely to be on a booster schedule. If a vaccination sore does not form on your skin where the needle stick was placed, the smallpox vaccine may not be effective and you may need to be re-vaccinated. Call your doctor if you do not develop a sore within 5 days after receiving your smallpox vaccine.

What happens if I overdose (Dryvax)?

An overdose of smallpox vaccine is unlikely to occur.

What should I avoid before or after getting smallpox vaccine (Dryvax)?

Avoid touching your vaccination sore and then touching other parts of your body (especially your eyes) until you have washed your hands. Accidentally spreading the virus to your eyes can lead to permanent vision loss.

Avoid touching your vaccination sore and then touching another person. The smallpox virus in the vaccination sore is highly contagious.

Do not scratch or pick at the sore, as this will greatly increase the risk of spreading the virus to other parts of your body or to other people.

What other drugs will affect smallpox vaccine (Dryvax)?

Before receiving this vaccine, tell the doctor about all other vaccines you have recently received.

Also tell the doctor if you have recently received drugs or treatments that can weaken the immune system, including:

• an oral, nasal, inhaled, or injectable steroid medicine;
• medications to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, or other autoimmune disorders, such as azathioprine (Imuran), efalizumab (Raptiva), etanercept (Enbrel), leflunomide (Arava), and others; or
• medicines to treat or prevent organ transplant rejection, such as basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral, Gengraf), muromonab-CD3 (Orthoclone), mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept), sirolimus (Rapamune), or tacrolimus (Prograf).

If you are using any of these medications, you may not be able to receive the vaccine, or may need to wait until the other treatments are finished.

There may be other drugs that can affect this vaccine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you have received. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your doctor or pharmacist may have information about this vaccine written for health professionals that you may read. You may also find additional information from your local health department or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

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