Immunizations for Transplant Patients

Vaccines

Timing of when you receive a vaccine can impact when you can receive a transplant. You must be screened for conditions or medicines that might make the vaccines unsafe for you because of your immune system. No one who has had a transplant should be given a live vaccine.

The list below includes general guidelines. Your situation may be different. Always talk with your coordinator before getting any vaccines.

Vaccines Recommended Before and After Transplant

• COVID-19

• Inactivated influenza, injected

• Hepatitis B

• Hepatitis A

• Diphtheria/Tetanus/ Pertussis (Tdap, DTaP, Td or DT)

• Polio, inactivated

• Pneumococcal polysaccharide or conjugate

• Human papillomavirus (HPV) (forages 9-26)

• Varicella zoster (Shingrix®)
  

Vaccines NOT Recommended After Transplant

• Varicella (Varivax®)

• Influenza, intranasal live vaccine

• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)

• Rotavirus
  

Other Vaccines to Discuss With Your Provider

• Quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate or polysaccharide

• Haemophilus influenzae type b
  

Travel

Make an appointment with a travel clinic if planning to travel outside of the United States. They will recommend vaccines you should have before you travel. Tell them that you cannot get any live virus vaccines.

Exposure

An “exposure” is defined as follows:

• Someone who lives with you has chicken pox or shingles.

• Close contact, longer than 1 hour indoors, with someone who has chicken pox or shingles.

• Hospital contact within the same room with someone who has chickenpox or shingles.
  

Chicken Pox/Measles Exposure

If you are exposed to someone who has chicken pox or measles, contact your transplant team. You may need medicine.

A blood test can tell if you have had chicken pox. All transplant patients should know if they are immune. Check with your doctor or coordinator. Chicken pox is contagious for about 2 days before the rash and 3 to 10 days after the rash appears and until the lesions have crusted.