Drug interactions
Bcg vaccine live + Tetracycline
Severity: Moderate
Bcg vaccine live and Tetracycline: 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
Antibiotics with activity against the vaccine organism may reduce the viability of live BCG and blunt the immune response. Tetracyclines have some activity against mycobacteria, so vaccine effectiveness could be reduced if given during therapy.
What this interaction means in plain words
Bcg vaccine live and Tetracycline 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 against the live attenuated organism may reduce replication and immunogenicity of the vaccine.
What to do
Give BCG vaccine before starting the antibiotic or after the course is complete. If antibiotic therapy is unavoidable, consider delaying vaccination.
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 Tetracycline
- Acitretin + Tetracycline Contraindicated
- Methoxyflurane + Tetracycline Contraindicated
- Isotretinoin + Tetracycline Major
- Palovarotene + Tetracycline Major
- Strontium ranelate + Tetracycline Major
- Tetracycline + Tretinoin Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Bcg vaccine live with Tetracycline?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Bcg vaccine live and Tetracycline 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. Antibiotics with activity against the vaccine organism may reduce the viability of live BCG and blunt the immune response. Tetracyclines have some activity against mycobacteria, so vaccine effectiveness could be reduced if given during therapy.
How serious is the interaction between Bcg vaccine live and Tetracycline?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Give BCG vaccine before starting the antibiotic or after the course is complete. If antibiotic therapy is unavoidable, consider delaying vaccination.
What other medicines interact with Tetracycline?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Tetracycline with, for example, Acitretin, Methoxyflurane, Isotretinoin. The full list is on the Tetracycline page.
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