[Vaccination against yellow fever among patients on immunosuppressors with diagnoses of rheumatic diseases]

Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 2009 Jan-Feb;42(1):23-7. doi: 10.1590/s0037-86822009000100006.
[Article in Portuguese]

Abstract

Yellow fever is endemic in some countries. The anti-yellow fever vaccine is the only effective means of protection but is contraindicated for immunocompromised patients. The aim of this paper was to report on a case series of rheumatological patients who were using immunosuppressors and were vaccinated against this disease. This was a retrospective study by means of a questionnaire applied to these patients, who were vaccinated 60 days before the investigation. Seventy patients of mean age 46 years were evaluated. Most of them were female (90%). There were cases of rheumatoid arthritis (54), systemic lupus erythematosus (11), spondyloarthropathy (5) and systemic sclerosis (2). The therapeutic schemes included methotrexate (42), corticosteroids (22), sulfasalazine (26), leflunomide (18), cyclophosphamide (3) and immunobiological agents (9). Sixteen patients (22.5%) reported some minor adverse effect. Among the eight patients using immunobiological agents, only one presented a mild adverse effect. Among these patients using immunosuppressors, adverse reactions were no more frequent than among immunocompetent individuals. This is the first study on this topic.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunocompromised Host
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Rheumatic Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Yellow Fever / prevention & control*
  • Yellow Fever Vaccine* / adverse effects
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Yellow Fever Vaccine