Table 2.

Live Vaccines for Patients With IBD

MMR: Vaccinate all nonimmune patients with the MMR vaccine as long as they have not been on immunosuppressive therapy within the previous 3 months and there are no plans to start immunosuppressive therapy within the next 6 weeks.

Varicella zoster: Vaccinate all nonimmune patients with the varicella zoster vaccine as long as they have not been on immunosuppressive therapy within the previous 3 months and there are no plans to start immunosuppressive therapy within the next 6 weeks.

Herpes zoster: Vaccinate all patients over the age of 60 years with the herpes zoster vaccine. Vaccination is safe in patients on low-dose immunosuppression but contraindicated in patients on biologic therapy or on corticosteroids. Do not vaccinate patients on high-dose immunosuppressive therapy within the past 3 months or who plan to start high-dose immunosuppressive therapy within the next 6 weeks.

IBD, inflammatory bowel disease; MMR, measles, mumps, and rubella.

Reproduced from Reich J, Wasan SK, Farraye FA. Vaccinating patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2016;12(9):540-546.