She is currently in remission and on immunosuppressive and biological therapies. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease are at increased risk for certain vaccine-preventable diseases (VPD). Therefore, maintaining adequate vaccination status in these patients is critical to optimize disease outcomes. However, the effectiveness and safety of vaccines can be altered by immunosuppressive therapies or IBD itself.
For all IBD patients, the necessary vaccines should be administered as soon as possible, ideally before starting immunosuppressive therapy. However, in IBD patients requiring urgent immunosuppressive therapy, treatment before vaccination should not be delayed. In general, it can be said that a vaccine containing a live pathogen, e.g. Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), is recommended for patients not receiving immunosuppressive therapy. In contrast, it is not recommended for patients taking immunosuppressants.
IBD is not a contraindication to the use of inactivated vaccines, but immunosuppressive therapy may reduce the response to the vaccine.
Stella’s trip to China went well, and her illness did not stop her from enjoying her rest.
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