Immunizations are a part of routine healthcare. You have probably received all your required immunizations as a child and now may only require boosters for special reasons. Now that your immune system is suppressed, you must not receive any live vaccines. Receiving a live vaccine could cause serious health complications because you may develop the virus you are being immunized against. This is because these immunizations contain some of the actual virus.

You should never receive these live viruses:

Oral Polio (Salk vaccine):
An inactivated form of this vaccine, the Sabin injection, is now available instead of the oral vaccine. This injection does not pose a risk to someone who is immunosuppressed. It is sometimes recommended that transplant recipients avoid all contact with patients who have had the oral polio vaccine for up to eight weeks since the virus might be shed in their stool and saliva. If you have a young child, be sure that your child receives the inactivated form of the vaccine.

MMR (measles, mumps, rubella):
This is another live vaccine given to children at 12-15 months and again at four to six years. As an adult, you should not need this vaccine. You do not need to avoid a child who has recently received the MMR.

Varivax (chickenpox or varicella vaccine):
This is a live vaccine given to children at one year of age to immunize them against chickenpox (varicella). People who are immunosuppressed should not receive this vaccine.

Influenza Vaccine
The yearly "flue shot" (injection) is an inactivated vaccine to provide protection from influenza. We strongly encourage transplant recipients and their close family contacts to get this vaccine every year. You can receive this vaccine if it is at least three months since you have had your liver transplant. Influenza may be more serious in someone who is immunosuppressed. This vaccine will protect you from the three most common strains of influenza that are reported for that year. You should not receive the influenza vaccine if you are allergic to eggs or chicken.

Tetanus Toxoid
The general public is advised to get a tetanus booster every 10 years. If you get a dirty injury or cut, or are bitten or scratched by an animal, you should get this vaccine.