1.4 Administration of vaccines
Please note: due to continuous updates being made to the Immunisation Handbook, the page number on the electronic version will not always match the hard copy version.
Almost all vaccines are given by either IM or SC injection, and a few vaccines are given orally. Rotavirus vaccines are only available for oral administration and must never be injected. Special training is required for intradermal administration, which is important for several vaccines (see Chapter 3.17, Q fever and Chapter 3.22, Tuberculosis). Table 1.4.1 below summarises the route of administration for vaccines commonly used in Australia.
Table 1.4.1: Route of administration for vaccines commonly used in Australia
| Intramuscular (IM) injection |
Subcutaneous (SC) injection |
IM or SC injection | Oral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diphtheria, tetanus vaccine (dT) Diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis vaccine (DTPa and dTpa) DTPa- and dTpacombination vaccines Hepatitis A vaccine Hepatitis B vaccine Hepatitis B combination vaccines Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine Human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) IPV-containing combination vaccines* 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (7vPCV) Typhoid Vi polysaccharide vaccine Meningococcal C conjugate vaccine (MenCCV) Rabies vaccine (PCECV) |
Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV)* Meningcoccal polysaccharide vaccine (4vMenPV) Varicella vaccine (VV) Q fever vaccine‡ Japanese encephalitis vaccine Measles, mumps, rubella, varicella vaccine (MMRV) (when available) Zoster vaccine |
Influenza vaccine† Measles, mumps, rubella vaccine (MMR) Rubella vaccine 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (23vPPV) Rabies vaccine (HDCV) Yellow fever vaccine |
Rotavirus vaccine Cholera vaccine Typhoid vaccine |
* IPV-containing combination vaccines are administered by IM injection; IPV (IPOL) is administered by SC injection.
† The IM route is preferred because it causes fewer local adverse events.2
‡ Q fever vaccine should be administered only by specially trained immunisation service providers.
References
2. Ruben FL, Jackson GG. A new subunit influenza vaccine: acceptability compared with standard vaccines and effect of dose on antigenicity. Journal of Infectious Diseases 1972;125:656-64.