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Vaccine Recommendations for Adults Living With HIV Disease in the United States

From Project Inform

May 2004

A note from TheBody.com: Since this article was written, the HIV pandemic has changed, as has our understanding of HIV/AIDS and its treatment. As a result, parts of this article may be outdated. Please keep this in mind, and be sure to visit other parts of our site for more recent information!

Based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).


Vaccine Recommended for People With HIV? Number of Vaccinations Additional Information
Influenza Yes One vaccination per year FluMist®, a live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) inhaled through the nose, should not be used by people with HIV
Pneumococcal Yes One vaccination with a booster vaccination after five years Vaccination is recommended soon after you find out you have HIV disease. The vaccine protects from pneumococcal infections in the lungs only.
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Yes Three vaccinations A blood test (HBV antibody test) can tell if you have been exposed to HBV. After completing the series, a blood test (antibody titer) will tell you if you need another booster shot for protection. (Note: Twinrix® is a three-shot hepatitis A/B combination vaccination.)
Hepatitis A (HAV) Yes Two vaccinations A blood test (HAV antibody test) can tell if you have been exposed to HAV. Most doctors recommend an HAV vaccination for people living with HIV. (Note: Twinrix® is a three-shot hepatitis A/B combination vaccination.)
Tetanus/Diphtheria (Td) Yes Three childhood vaccinations followed by one booster vaccination every 10 years  
Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) Depends MMR is two vaccinations.
Rubella alone is one booster vaccination		 Check your childhood and young adult medical history.
  • If you have already been fully vaccinated for MMR, you may not need another vaccination.
  • If you do not know or have not been completely vaccinated, talk with your doctor about whether or not the MMR vaccination series would be right for you.
People with no symptoms of HIV and CD4+ cells above 200, especially women planning on getting pregnant, should talk with their doctors about the rubella vaccination.

The CDC does NOT recommend the MMR vaccination (or other measles containing vaccines) for people living with HIV whose CD4+ cell count is either below 200 cells/mm3 or whose CD4+ cell percentage is below 14% of their total lymphocytes.
Varicella (the virus that causes chicken pox and shingles) No One to two doses depending on age The Varicella vaccine is currently NOT recommended for people living with HIV. If you have NOT had Varicella, avoid contact with children and adults who currently have either active chickenpox or shingles.


A note from TheBody.com: Since this article was written, the HIV pandemic has changed, as has our understanding of HIV/AIDS and its treatment. As a result, parts of this article may be outdated. Please keep this in mind, and be sure to visit other parts of our site for more recent information!




  
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This article was provided by Project Inform. It is a part of the publication WISE Words. Visit Project Inform's website to find out more about their activities, publications and services.
 
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