May 1, 2015 Vaccine Acronyms Page 1 of 5

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices

VACCINE ACRONYMS

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, the American Academy of 

Pediatrics Red Book; and in the United States, immunization schedules for children, adolescents, and 

adults.

Vaccine Acronym Trade Name

Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis-containing vaccines P=Pediatric A=Adult

  Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids adsorbed (P) DT several mfrs†

  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-HepBIPV 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

 



In descriptions of combination vaccines, dash ( - ) indicates: products in w hich the active components are supplied in their final (combined)

form by the manufacturer; slash ( / ) indicates: products in w hich active components must be mixed by the user. 

†

several manufacturers; for complete listing, see http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/appendices/B/us-vaccines.pdf and 

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/about/terms/USVaccines.html

§ For additional Hib vaccine acronyms, see Haemophilus influenzae type b Vaccines
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Vaccine Acronym Trade Name

  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 influenzae

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 vaccines HepA-HepB Twinrix

 Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed, 

hepatitis B and inactivated poliovirus vaccine

 DTaP-HepBIPV Pediarix

 Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate and hepatitis B vaccine Hib-HepB Comvax

Herpes zoster (shingles) vaccine HZV Zostavax

Human papillomavirus vaccines 

 Human papillomavirus vaccine (nonavalent) 9vHPV Gardasil 9

  Human papillomavirus vaccine (quadrivalent) 4 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 LAIV4 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

 

¶ For additional meningococcal vaccine acronyms, see Meningococcal Vaccines

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

vHPV
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Vaccine Acronym Trade Name

 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-HepBIPV Pediarix

 Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed and 

inactivated poliovirus vaccine 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
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Haemophilus influenzae type b Vaccines

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®.)
May 1, 2015 Vaccine Acronyms Page 5 of 5

Meningococcal Vaccines

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 tw o acronyms may be used for 

either or both quadrivalent conjugate vaccines, 

on vaccination records, schedules, or other 

documents w hen it is unnecessary to distinguish 

betw een the tw o products. 

MenACWY should be used w hen it is desirable to 

identify the 4 vaccine serogroups.

MenACWY-D Menactra

May be used to designate Menactra in scientific 

publications, or w hen it is necessary to distinguish 

betw een the tw o 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 w hen it is necessary to distinguish 

betw een the tw o 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 w hen it is unnecessary to distinguish 

betw een the tw o products.

MenB-FHbp Trumenba

May be used to designation Trumenba in scientific 

publications or w hen it is necessary to distinguish 

betw een the tw o serogroup B meningococcal 

vaccines. Includes the extension “FHbp” to indicate 

the vaccine is composed of tw o recombinant 

lapidated Factor H binding protein variants.

MenB-4C Bexsero

May be used to designate Bexsero in scientific 

publications or w hen it is necessary to distinguish 

betw een the tw o 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).