ACIP: Acronyms for Vaccines

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Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices

Vaccines Included in the Immunization Schedules for Children, Adolescents, and Adults

Following is a table of standardized vaccine acronyms, which was developed jointly by staff of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ACIP Work Groups, the editor of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), the editor of Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (the "Pink Book"), ACIP members, and liaison organizations to the ACIP.

These acronyms are intended to provide a uniform approach to vaccine references used in ACIP Recommendations that are published in the MMWR, the Pink Book, and the American Academy of Pediatrics Red Book; and in the U.S. immunization schedules for children, adolescents, and adults.

Updated May 2015

Vaccine		Acronym*	Trade Name
Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis-containing vaccines P=Pediatric A=Adult
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids adsorbed (P)		DT	several manufacturers†
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine adsorbed (P)		DTaP	Daptacel, Infanrix
Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids adsorbed (A)		Td	Tenivac, Decavac, generic
Tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis vaccine, adsorbed (A)		Tdap	Adacel, Boostrix
Tetanus toxoid (P, A)		TT	generic
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed, hepatitis B and inactivated poliovirus vaccine (P)		DTaP-HepB-IPV	Pediarix
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed and inactivated poliovirus vaccine (P)		DTaP-IPV	Kinrix   Quadracel
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed, inactivated poliovirus and Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine (P)		DTaP-IPV/Hib	Pentacel
Haemophilus influenzae type b-containing vaccines§
Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine		Hib	PedvaxHIB, Hiberix, ActHIB
Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate and hepatitis B vaccine		Hib-HepB	Comvax
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed, inactivated poliovirus and Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine		DTaP-IPV/Hib	Pentacel
Bivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine and Haemophilus influenza type b conjugate vaccine		Hib-MenCY	MenHibrix
Hepatitis-containing vaccines
Hepatitis A vaccine		HepA	Havrix, Vaqta
Hepatitis B vaccine		HepB	Engerix-B, Recombivax HB
Hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccine		HepA-HepB	Twinrix
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed, hepatitis B and inactivated poliovirus vaccine		DTaP-HepB-IPV	Pediarix
Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate and hepatitis B vaccine		Hib-HepB	Comvax
Herpes zoster (shingles) vaccine
Herpes zoster (shingles) vaccine		HZV	Zostavax
Human papillomavirus vaccines
Human papillomavirus vaccine (nonavalent)		9vHPV	Gardasil 9
Human papillomavirus vaccine (quadrivalent)		4vHPV	Gardasil
Human papillomavirus vaccine (bivalent)		2vHPV	Cervarix
Influenza vaccines
Inactivated influenza vaccine		IIV	several mfrs**
	Trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine	IIV3	several mfrs
	Quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine	IIV4	several mfrs
	Trivalent recombinant influenza vaccine	RIV3	FluBlok
	Trivalent cell culture based inactivated influenza vaccine	ccIIV3	Flucelvax
Live attenuated influenza vaccine		LAIV	FluMist Quadrivalent
Measles, mumps and rubella-containing vaccines
Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine		MMR	M-M-R II
Measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine		MMRV	ProQuad
Meningococcal-containing vaccines¶
Meningococcal conjugate vaccines
	Quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine	MenACWY or MCV4	Menactra Menveo
	Bivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine and Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine	Hib-MenCY	MenHibrix
Meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (quadrivalent)		MPSV4	Menomune
Serogroup B meningococcal vaccines		MenB	Bexsero Trumenba
Pneumococcal vaccines
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (7-valent)		PCV7	Prevnar
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (13-valent)		PCV13	Prevnar 13
Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (23-valent)		PPSV23	Pneumovax 23
Poliovirus-containing vaccines
Inactivated poliovirus vaccine		IPV	Ipol
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed and inactivated poliovirus vaccine		DTaP-IPV	Kinrix Quadracel
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed, hepatitis B and inactivated poliovirus vaccine		DTaP-HepB-IPV	Pediarix
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed, inactivated poliovirus and Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine		DTaP-IPV/Hib	Pentacel
Rotavirus vaccines
Rotavirus vaccine (monovalent)		RV1	Rotarix
Rotavirus vaccine (pentavalent)		RV5	RotaTeq
Varicella-containing vaccines
Varicella vaccine		VAR	Varivax
Measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine		MMRV	ProQuad
Herpes zoster (shingles) vaccine		HZV	Zostavax

* In descriptions of combination vaccines, dash (-) indicates: products in which the active components are supplied in their final (combined) form by the manufacturer; slash ( / ) indicates: products in which active components must be mixed by the user.

† several manufacturers; for complete listing, see U.S. Vaccines [4 pages] and U.S. Vaccine Names

§ For additional Hib vaccine acronyms, see Haemophilus influenzae type b Vaccines Acronyms.

¶ For additional meningococcal vaccine acronyms, see Meningococcal Vaccines Acronyms table.

** For more information on IIV flu vaccines, see the flu vaccines table.

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Haemophilus influenza type b Vaccines Acronyms

Three monovalent Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccines are available in the U.S.:

• ActHIB® (Sanofi Pasteur)
• PedvaxHIB® (Merck)
• Hiberix® (GlaxoSmithKline)

Alternative acronyms for these products are explained in this table:

Acronym	Product Name	Additional Information
PRP-T	ActHIB or Hiberix	May be used to designate ActHIB or Hiberix in scientific publications, or on schedules when the brand name is not used.  Indicates the Hib polysaccharide PRP (polyribosyl-ribitol-phosphate) and includes the extension “T” to indicate the protein carrier (tetanus toxoid). (PRP-T is the Hib component in the combination vaccines Pentacel® and MenHibrix®.)
PRP-OMP	PedvaxHIB	May be used to designate PedvaxHIB in scientific publications or on schedules when the brand name is not used.  Indicates the Hib polysaccharide PRP (polyribosyl-ribitol-phosphate) and includes the extension “OMP” to indicate the protein carrier (meningococcal group B outer membrane protein). (PRP-OMP is the Hib component in the combination vaccine Comvax®.)

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Meningococcal Vaccines Acronyms

Six licensed products containing meningococcal antigen are available in the U.S.:

• Menomune® (Sanofi Pasteur): a quadrivalent (serogroups A, C, W & Y), polysaccharide vaccine,
• Menactra® (Sanofi Pasteur) and Menveo® (Novartis): quadrivalent (serogroups A, C, W & Y) conjugate vaccines, and
• MenHibrix® (GlaxoSmithKline): a Haemophilus influenzae type b/bivalent (serogroups C & Y) meningococcal conjugate combination vaccine.
• Trumenba® (Pfizer) and Bexsero® (Novartis): serogroup B meningococcal vaccines

Alternative acronyms for these products are explained in this table:

Vaccine Type	Acronym	Product Name	Additional Information
Meningococcal (Quadrivalent) Conjugate	MenACWY or MCV4	Menactra or Menveo	These two acronyms may be used for either or both quadrivalent conjugate vaccines, on vaccination records, schedules, or other documents when it is unnecessary to distinguish between the two products. MenACWY should be used when it is desirable to identify the 4 vaccine serogroups.
	MenACWY-D	Menactra	May be used to designate Menactra in scientific publications, or when it is necessary to distinguish between the two quadrivalent vaccines.  Includes the extension “D” to indicate the protein carrier (diphtheria toxoid).
	MenACWY-CRM or MenACWY-CRM197	Menveo	May be used to designate Menveo in scientific publications, or when it is necessary to distinguish between the two quadrivalent vaccines.  Includes the extension “CRM” or “CRM197” to indicate the protein carrier (a non-toxic mutant of diphtheria toxin).
Hib/ Meningococcal (Bivalent) Combination	Hib-MenCY	MenHibrix	The standard acronym for MenHibrix, used in most situations.
	Hib-MenCY-TT	MenHibrix	This alternative acronym identifies the protein carrier (tetanus toxoid).
Meningococcal (Quadrivalent) Polysaccharide	MPSV4 or MPSV	Menomune	Either acronym identifies the quadrivalent polysaccharide vaccine.
Serogroup B Meningococcal	MenB	Trumenba or Bexsero	This acronym may be used for either or both serogroup B meningococcal vaccines on vaccination records, schedules, or other documents when it is unnecessary to distinguish between the two products.
	MenB-FHbp	Trumenba	May be used to designation Trumenba in scientific publications or when it is necessary to distinguish between the two serogroup B meningococcal vaccines. Includes the extension “FHbp” to indicate the vaccine is composed of two recombinant lipidated Factor H binding protein variants.
	MenB-4C	Bexsero	May be used to designate Bexsero in scientific publications or when it is necessary to distinguish between the two serogroup B meningococcal vaccines. Includes the extension “4C” to indicate the vaccine is composed of 4 components (NHBA, NadA, FHbp, and OMV containing PorA P1.4).

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