Drug interactions
Bcg vaccine live + Piperacillin-tazobactam
Severity: Moderate
Bcg vaccine live and Piperacillin-tazobactam: 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 contains viable bacteria, and antibiotics active against them can reduce vaccine take. Piperacillin-tazobactam has limited activity against BCG, but concurrent antibiotics are generally avoided around live bacterial vaccination.
What this interaction means in plain words
Bcg vaccine live and Piperacillin-tazobactam 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 may reduce replication of the live vaccine organism, lessening the immune response.
What to do
Defer BCG vaccination until the antibiotic course is complete, unless vaccination is urgent.
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 Piperacillin-tazobactam
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Bcg vaccine live with Piperacillin-tazobactam?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Bcg vaccine live and Piperacillin-tazobactam 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 contains viable bacteria, and antibiotics active against them can reduce vaccine take. Piperacillin-tazobactam has limited activity against BCG, but concurrent antibiotics are generally avoided around live bacterial vaccination.
How serious is the interaction between Bcg vaccine live and Piperacillin-tazobactam?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Defer BCG vaccination until the antibiotic course is complete, unless vaccination is urgent.
What other medicines interact with Piperacillin-tazobactam?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Piperacillin-tazobactam with, for example, Vancomycin, Amikacin, Antithrombin alfa. The full list is on the Piperacillin-tazobactam page.
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