Drug interactions
Bcg vaccine live + Ustekinumab
Severity: Contraindicated
Bcg vaccine live and Ustekinumab: contraindicated 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
BCG is a live attenuated bacterium that can cause disseminated BCG infection in immunosuppressed patients. Ustekinumab impairs the IL-12/IFN-gamma axis crucial for mycobacterial defence, making this especially hazardous.
What this interaction means in plain words
Bcg vaccine live and Ustekinumab are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two.
Why it happens
IL-12/23 blockade impairs Th1 and interferon-gamma-mediated control of mycobacteria, permitting BCG dissemination.
What to do
Do not give BCG during ustekinumab therapy or for a prolonged period before or after treatment, as per product labeling.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Is there an alternative to one of these two medicines for me?
- If both are essential, who is monitoring me and how often?
- Which symptoms mean I should stop and seek help straight away?
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Other interactions of Ustekinumab
- Typhoid vaccine live + Ustekinumab Contraindicated
- Adalimumab + Ustekinumab Major
- Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live + Ustekinumab Major
- Alefacept + Ustekinumab Major
- Anakinra + Ustekinumab Major
- Anti-thymocyte + Ustekinumab Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Bcg vaccine live with Ustekinumab?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Bcg vaccine live and Ustekinumab are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two. BCG is a live attenuated bacterium that can cause disseminated BCG infection in immunosuppressed patients. Ustekinumab impairs the IL-12/IFN-gamma axis crucial for mycobacterial defence, making this especially hazardous.
How serious is the interaction between Bcg vaccine live and Ustekinumab?
MediHelp rates it contraindicated, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Do not give BCG during ustekinumab therapy or for a prolonged period before or after treatment, as per product labeling.
What other medicines interact with Ustekinumab?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Ustekinumab with, for example, Typhoid vaccine live, Adalimumab, Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live. The full list is on the Ustekinumab page.
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