Patients with IBD may be at increased risk of some vaccine-preventable diseases, but vaccine coverage is low. AGA just published new clinical practice guidelines from the Canadian Association of Gastroenterologists that provide evidence-based recommendations for vaccines in adults and children with IBD. The guidelines assessed selected live and inactivated vaccines for IBD patients and provides immunization strategies to reduce the risk of vaccine-preventable infections in patients with IBD.
Main takeaway: IBD patients are at an increased risk of some vaccine-preventable diseases making it important to maintain their appropriate vaccination status.
- Patient’s vaccination status should be reviewed at diagnosis and at regular intervals and should be given appropriate vaccinations as soon as possible instead of delaying urgently needed immunosuppressive therapy to provide vaccinations.
- Live vaccines including measles, mumps and rubella, are recommended for IBD patients not on immunosuppressive therapy, but not for those using immunosuppressive medications.
- IBD is not a contraindication to the use of inactivated vaccines, but immunosuppressive therapy may reduce vaccine responses.
