Risk of transmission associated with live attenuated vaccines given to healthy persons caring for or residing with an immunocompromised patient Journal Article
| Authors: | Kamboj, M.; Sepkowitz, K. A. |
| Article Title: | Risk of transmission associated with live attenuated vaccines given to healthy persons caring for or residing with an immunocompromised patient |
| Abstract: | OBJECTIVE. Persons who receive live attenuated vaccine may occasionally transmit the vaccine strain to others. The risk of such transmission is a concern, especially for persons who provide care to immunocompromised patients (ie, family and healthcare workers [HCWs]). Since the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices released guidelines 10 years ago, several new live attenuated products have been introduced, and additional information on older vaccines has become available. To better define the risk of transmission associated with live vaccines, we reviewed the currently available literature. RESULTS. A review of the medical literature revealed no major risk of transmission associated with any live attenuated vaccine. A theoretical risk continues to exist for the live attenuated intranasal influenza vaccine and the smallpox vaccine. CONCLUSIONS. The available data support routine vaccination with live attenuated vaccines for all household contacts of immunocompromised patients and for HCWs caring for such patients. The benefit for immunocompromised patients of providing herd immunity against this group of potentially devastating pathogens outweighs the risk, if any, of secondary transmission. © 2007 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved. |
| Keywords: | controlled study; unspecified side effect; treatment indication; risk factors; herpes simplex; risk factor; risk assessment; fever; rash; health status; vaccination; health care personnel; immune deficiency; immunocompromised host; influenza vaccine; viral vaccines; virus diseases; chickenpox vaccine; immunocompetence; normal human; measles vaccine; disease transmission; household; guidelines as topic; immunization; caregivers; family characteristics; conjunctivitis; preventive health service; smallpox vaccine; poliomyelitis; vaccines, attenuated; vaccinia vaccine; mumps vaccine; oral poliomyelitis vaccine; rubella vaccine; parotitis; immunity, herd |
| Journal Title: | Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology |
| Volume: | 28 |
| Issue: | 6 |
| ISSN: | 0899-823X |
| Publisher: | The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America |
| Date Published: | 2007-06-01 |
| Start Page: | 702 |
| End Page: | 707 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1086/517952 |
| PUBMED: | 17520544 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | --- - "Cited By (since 1996): 11" - "Export Date: 17 November 2011" - "CODEN: ICEPE" - "Source: Scopus" |
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