FA16 Immunization Module’s Updates

Immunization of Immunosuppressed Patients

Vaccinations are used to keep not only individuals but also the community as whole safe. The majority of patients who are vaccinated are generally healthy and the vaccination is to prevent them from being severely affected by the disease. However, it’s important to look at what to do when a person who is already immune-compromised needs to be protected from further damage. When looking at immune-compromised patients there are three subcategories to consider:

 

Sever Immune compromisation not based on HIV
Immune compromisation of a person with HIV
Limited immune deficiency that is caused by a condition that requires the use of a special or higher dose vaccinations but the condition does not contraindicate the use of any specific vaccine

 

These categories are important because the vaccine type and effectiveness relies heavily on the level of immune compromisation that the patient has. When considering vaccination of these patients it takes careful consideration from the physician and extensive research. Typically with immune compromised patients inactivated vaccines are an option. The main benefit of these vaccines is that they present less of a risk to immune deficient patients because they do not have the ability to cause disease. However, the draw backs of these vaccines are that they are less effective, take 3-5 doses in order to become functioning and eventually the process will need to be repeated due to the fact that the titers weaken overtime. Lastly in permanent immune system deficiencies the use of immunization by inactivated vaccines becomes a damaging option and immunization by immunoglobulin could be a beneficial course of action.  

 

1) www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00023141.htm

 

2) papercutsandpathogens.wordpress.com/2012/06/06/everything-you-need-to-know-about-vaccines/

 

  • Nadarra Stokes
  • Nicholas Romito