The Importance of Prioritizing Pre and Posttransplant Immunizations in an Era of Vaccine Refusal and Epidemic Outbreaks. Transplantation 2020 Jan;104(1):33-38
Date
12/27/2019Pubmed ID
31876696Pubmed Central ID
PMC6936334DOI
10.1097/TP.0000000000002936Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85077199520 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 10 CitationsAbstract
Vaccine-preventable infections are occurring at epidemic rates both nationally and internationally. At the same time, rates of vaccine hesitancy and refusal are increasing across the country leading to decreased herd immunity. For immunosuppressed transplant recipients, this situation poses great risk. Currently, 1 in 6 pediatric solid organ transplant recipients is hospitalized with a vaccine-preventable infection in the first 5 years posttransplant. For many recipients, these infections result in significant morbidity, mortality, and increased hospitalization costs. Surprisingly, despite this risk many transplant recipients are not up-to-date on age appropriate immunizations at the time of transplant and thereafter. As a transplant community, we must prioritize immunizations in both pre and posttransplant care. Research is needed to understand how to monitor immune response to vaccines in immunosuppressed patients and when to optimally immunize patients posttransplant. Finally, recommendations about administration of live vaccines posttransplant may need to be reevaluated in the setting of measles outbreaks and decreased herd immunity.
Author List
Feldman AG, Hsu EK, Mack CLAuthor
Cara Lynn Mack MD Chief, Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Disease OutbreaksGraft Rejection
Humans
Immunocompromised Host
Immunosuppressive Agents
Organ Transplantation
Postoperative Complications
Postoperative Period
Preoperative Period
Transplant Recipients
Vaccination
Vaccination Refusal