Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella Vaccine

Measles causes fever, rash, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Complications can include ear infection, diarrhea, pneumonia, brain damage, and death.

Mumps causes fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, loss of appetite, and swollen salivary glands. Complications can include swelling of the testicles or ovaries, deafness, inflammation of the brain and/or tissue covering the brain and spinal cord (encephalitis/meningitis), and, rarely, death.

Rubella causes fever, sore throat, rash, headache, and red, itchy eyes. If a woman gets rubella while she is pregnant, she could have a miscarriage or her baby could be born with serious birth defects.

Varicella (chickenpox) causes blister-like rash, itching, fever, and tiredness. Complications can include severe skin infection, scars, pneumonia, brain damage, or death.

You can protect against these diseases with safe, effective vaccination.

MMRV Vaccine Side Effects

The MMRV vaccine is very safe, and it is effective at preventing measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella. Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects. Most people who get MMRV vaccine do not have any serious problems with it. Getting MMRV vaccine is much safer than getting measles, mumps, rubella, or varicella.

Common Side Effects of MMRV Vaccine

Sore arm from the shot

Fever

Mild rash

Some children who get MMRV vaccine may have a seizure caused by fever (febrile seizure) after getting the shot. However, these seizures are not common and have not been associated with any long-term problems.

Rarely, the MMRV vaccine can cause swelling of neck or cheeks or a temporary low platelet count.

Extremely rarely, the vaccine's ingredients cause severe allergic (anaphylactic) reactions.

Children should not get MMRV vaccine if they have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to any component of the vaccine, including gelatin or the antibiotic neomycin.