School Vaccine Clinics

What is Hepatitis B?

• Hepatitis B is one of the most common causes of liver cancer and it can lead to liver failure.

What are the symptoms?

• People with Hepatitis B often become tired, have fever, lose their appetite, and sometimes get yellow skin and eyes (jaundice).
• Some people can get the virus but don’t have any symptoms. This means they can infect someone else without knowing.

How can I get the disease?

• This disease is spread through bodily fluids such as blood, semen and vaginal fluids⁵. The virus is mostly spread by sexual skin to skin contact.

• The virus can also be spread:

  • by sharing razors, scissors, nail clippers or a toothbrush

  • by sharing drug items such as needles, straws and pipes

  • through dirty tools used for tattooing and body piercing

Vaccine information

Vaccine name: Hepatitis B
Vaccine Brand: Engerix®-B/ Recombivax-HB®

• This vaccine is 95 - 100% effective in teens when the series is completed⁸ .
• The Hepatitis B vaccine is offered as a two-dose series for students in Grade 7.
• Ingredients: Hepatitis B surface antigen, aluminum hydroxide, disodium phosphate dehydrate, sodium chloride, sodium borate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate dihydrate and water ^9,10

⁵ Kwong JC et al. Ontario Burden of Infectious Disease Study (ONBOIDS): An OAHPP/ICES Report. Toronto: Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences; 2010.

⁸ National Advisory Committee on Immunization. Canadian Immunization Guide (Evergreen Edition). Part 4 Active Vaccines: Hepatitis B Vaccines. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada; 2017.

⁹ GlaxoSmithKline Inc. Product Monograph: Engerix®-B. Mississauga ON; May 2019.

¹⁰ Merck Canada Inc. Product Monograph: Recombivax HB®. Kirkland, Quebec; May 2019.

What is Human papillomavirus (HPV)?

• HPV is a very common virus that can cause infections. 
• HPV disease can cause genital warts and cancer (cervical, anal, genital, mouth and throat)⁵.

What are the symptoms?

• You can get symptoms years after you have sexual skin to skin contact with someone who is infected. This makes it hard to know when you first got infected.

How can I get the disease?

• This virus is spread by sexual skin to skin contact⁵.
• HPV can be spread even when an infected person has no signs or symptoms.
• HPV is so common that nearly all sexually active people get it at some point in their lives.

Vaccine information

Vaccine name: HPV-9
Vaccine Brand: Gardasil®-9

• This vaccine prevents 60 - 70% of HPV related cancers and about 90% of genital warts⁶ .
• This vaccine is offered as a two-dose series for students under 15 years of age.
• Ingredients: L1 proteins for HPV Type: 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58, aluminum, L-histidine, polysorbate 80, sodium borate, sodium chloride and water⁷ .

⁵ Kwong JC et al. Ontario Burden of Infectious Disease Study (ONBOIDS): An OAHPP/ICES Report. Toronto: Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences; 2010.

⁶ National Advisory Committee on Immunization. Canadian Immunization Guide (Evergreen Edition). Part 4 Active Vaccines: Human Papillomavirus Vaccine. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada; March 2018.

⁷ Merck Canada Inc. Product Monograph: Gardasil ®9. Kirkland QC; December 2016.

What is Meningococcal Disease?

• Meningococcal disease is caused by bacteria (Neisseria meningitidis). It can become very serious, very quickly.

• The two most severe and common illnesses caused by these bacteria include:

  • infections of the fluid and lining around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) 
  • blood infections (bacteremia or septicemia)

What are the symptoms?

• Bad headache, stiff neck, fever, tiredness, and muscle pain. Meningitis can cause swelling of the brain and spinal cord, leading to brain damage, deafness, seizures and even death.
• Blood infections can lead to hearing loss, loss of your arm or leg and organ failure.
• Even with treatment, about 1 in 10 people with meningococcal disease will die from it.

How can I get the disease?

• Many people have meningococcal bacteria in the back of their nose and throat. This does not always make them sick. They can still spread the disease. The bacteria is spread through saliva or spit during close, direct contact.
• This disease is spread through saliva and bodily fluids ex. kissing, sneezing, coughing and sharing food, drinks and eating utensils³.

Vaccine information

Vaccine name: Men-C-ACYW135
Vaccine Brand: Nimerix®

• The vaccine is 80% - 85% effective in teens².
• This vaccine is required for children to attend school, unless they have a valid exemption.
• In Ontario, the first meningitis vaccine is given at 12 months (Men-C-C) protecting your child against one strain. This Grade 7 vaccine (Men-C-ACYW135) protects against 4 strains² .
• Ingredients: contains Meningococcal strains A, C, Y, and W-135, diphtheria toxoid protein carrier, sodium chloride, sodium phosphate, dibasic, anhydrous, sodium phosphate monobasic and water⁴ .
• Parents who choose not to vaccinate their child/children with the Men-C-ACYW135 vaccine must complete a valid exemption. This form must be notarized and brought to Public Health.

² National Advisory Committee on Immunization. Canadian Immunization Guide (Evergreen Edition). Part 4 Active Vaccines: Meningococcal Vaccine. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada; 2016.

³ Moore, D. Meningococcal Disease (pp. 223-246). In: Your Child’s Best Shot (4th ed.). Canadian Pediatric Society; 2015.

⁴ Sanofi Pasteur Limited. Product Monograph: Menactra®. Toronto, ON. November 2017.