Cortisone / Prednisolone 5 & Typhoid Vaccination (Injection)
February 9, 2012 | 20,00 EUR | answered by Christian Welsch
Hello,
my wife needs a booster of her Typhoid protection before a long-distance trip. Do you see increased risks, as my wife has been taking cortisone for some time due to rheumatoid therapy (currently 5 mg)?
Best regards
Dear questioner,
When vaccinations are carried out under immunosuppression, caution is generally advised. The majority of vaccines used today are inactivated vaccines. These vaccines can be used in any case, as they do not pose a potential risk of infection. It should be noted, however, that immunosuppressive therapy can impair or even completely negate the effectiveness of the vaccination.
The oral typhoid vaccine is a live vaccine, meaning it is administered with live bacteria that have been chemically modified so as not to cause the actual disease.
Vaccinations with live vaccines are contraindicated during concurrent therapy with moderate- to high-potency immunosuppressants. High doses of cortisone above the Cushing threshold induce strong immunosuppression, so live vaccines should not be administered. Low doses, on the other hand, do not hinder vaccination with live vaccines, nor do non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as diclofenac, ibuprofen, etc.).
Therefore, apart from prednisolone, your wife should not take any other immunosuppressants, and there should be no reason to oppose vaccination.
Source: Robert Koch Institute & German Society for Rheumatology
I hope this answers your question.
Sincerely, C. Welsch
