Northern California's Comprehensive Thalassemia Center at at Children's Hospital Oakland

Living with Thalassemia

Life Stages ::

• Infancy

• Toddlerhood

• School Years

• Adolescence

• Adulthood

Nutrition & Diet

• Foods to avoid

• Calcium

• Vitamin C

• Vitamin D

Immunizations

Fertility

Pregnancy

Immunization in Children and Adults who have Thalassemia

HIV Infected Children
Children who are immune suppressed with HIV viral infection should not receive live virus vaccines: Measles, Mumps, Rubella; Oral Polio Vaccine; Varicella Vaccine. Nor should their siblings receive these vaccines without medical management to prevent infection of the immunosuppressed child.

Recommendations for children infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV):

All routine inactivated vaccines (IPV, Hib, Hepatitis B, and DTaP) are recommended for all children.
Children who are six months or older receive the influenza vaccine (split dose with booster during the first season).
Children who are two years old or older receive pneumococcal vaccine.
The MMR vaccine is recommended only for children infected with HIV who are not severely immune compromised.
Live virus vaccines are contraindicated in all children who are infected with HIV with the above exception.

Children Receiving Intravenous Gamma Globulin
Children who are receiving intravenous gamma globulin (IVIG) have the possibility that live virus vaccines will be inactivated or that they will not develop immunity.
Children After Bone Marrow Transplantation
Centers performing bone marrow transplantation each have their own preferred schedule for reimmunization of their patients. These schedules should be followed. After immunocompentence is documented and all other immunizations are complete these children should receive the influenza vaccination annually.

Other Vaccines
New vaccines are being developed and will be available periodically. The Rotavirus Vaccine has recently been released and is not specifically indicated for children who have thalassemia.
The meningococcal vaccine is available, but is not generally recommended in most references. It would be indicated for splenectomized children and adults. This vaccine is not thought to be optimal and is not routinely administered at this center.

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Northern Comprehensive Thalassemia Center