Drug interactions
Bcg vaccine live + Cefazolin
Severity: Moderate
Bcg vaccine live and Cefazolin: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Live BCG is a viable bacterium, and an active antibiotic may reduce its viability in the host. Cefazolin has little expected activity against BCG, and single perioperative doses are unlikely to matter.
What this interaction means in plain words
Bcg vaccine live and Cefazolin can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Why it happens
Antibacterial activity could reduce replication of the live attenuated organism, though cephalosporin activity against BCG is limited.
What to do
Where timing is flexible, give BCG after the antibiotic course is complete. Do not delay urgent vaccination solely because of cefazolin.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
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Other interactions of Cefazolin
- Amikacin + Cefazolin Moderate
- Cefazolin + Cholera vaccine Moderate
- Cefazolin + Dexamethasone-tobramycin Moderate
- Cefazolin + Gentamicin Moderate
- Cefazolin + Kanamycin Moderate
- Cefazolin + Microbiota Moderate
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Bcg vaccine live with Cefazolin?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Bcg vaccine live and Cefazolin can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Live BCG is a viable bacterium, and an active antibiotic may reduce its viability in the host. Cefazolin has little expected activity against BCG, and single perioperative doses are unlikely to matter.
How serious is the interaction between Bcg vaccine live and Cefazolin?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Where timing is flexible, give BCG after the antibiotic course is complete. Do not delay urgent vaccination solely because of cefazolin.
What other medicines interact with Cefazolin?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Cefazolin with, for example, Amikacin, Cholera vaccine, Dexamethasone-tobramycin. The full list is on the Cefazolin page.
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