Fluzone High-Dose Disease Interactions

The use of influenza vaccine has been associated with an elevated risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). It is not recommended to administer this vaccine if GBS has occurred within 6 weeks following previous influenza vaccination. Care and close monitoring is recommended and consideration of the potential benefits and risks should be assessed.

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Influenza vaccine should be withheld, pending stabilization, in patients with active neurologic disorders associated with changing neurological status. Neurologic signs or symptoms following administration of an influenza vaccine is a contraindication to future use.

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Ideally, vaccination should occur when an individual is healthy, thus minimizing the risk of an adverse host reaction and/or vaccine failure. However, a current or recent infection does not necessarily preclude the use of vaccines, depending on the severity of the patient's symptoms and their etiology. Superficial infections and minor acute illnesses such as a mild upper respiratory infection with or without low-grade fever do not contraindicate immunization, particularly if prompt administration of a vaccine is deemed necessary or beneficial. In fact, when vaccines are administered during the course of a minor illness, the risk of adverse events is not increased, and serum antibody response is not often diminished. On the other hand, if fever or symptoms suggest a moderate or severe illness, it is usually appropriate to withhold vaccination until the patient has recovered. In addition to the potential risks already mentioned, evolving signs and symptoms of the illness can sometimes confound the diagnosis of a vaccine reaction if it develops. In the presence of any infection, the decision to administer or withhold/defer immunization should take into consideration the benefits versus the risks to an individual patient.

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The expected serum antibody responses may not be obtained when vaccines and/or toxoids are administered to patients with primary or acquired immunodeficiency, including those with severe combined immunodeficiency, hypogammaglobulinemia or agammaglobulinemia, HIV infection, altered immune states (due to diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma, or generalized malignancy), or immunosuppression due to drug or other treatments (e.g., corticosteroids, alkylating agents, antimetabolites, or radiation).

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