Drug interactions
Cholera vaccine + Erythromycin
Severity: Major
Cholera vaccine and Erythromycin: major 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
The oral cholera vaccine contains live attenuated bacteria, and systemic antibiotics may kill the vaccine strain and impair the immune response. Labeling advises against vaccination shortly after antibiotic use.
What this interaction means in plain words
Cholera vaccine and Erythromycin can interact in a way that may be serious. Using them together is sometimes necessary, but it needs a deliberate decision by the prescriber, a plan for monitoring, and clear advice on the warning signs to watch for.
Why it happens
Antibacterial activity against the live attenuated vaccine strain reducing vaccine colonization and immunogenicity.
What to do
Do not give the cholera vaccine within 14 days after oral or parenteral antibiotics, or defer vaccination until antibiotic therapy has finished and the washout interval has passed.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Does the benefit of taking both outweigh the risk in my case?
- Do I need any blood test, ECG or other check while on both?
- What early warning signs should I watch for, and what should I do if they appear?
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Other interactions of Erythromycin
- Conivaptan + Erythromycin Contraindicated
- Dihydroergotamine intranasal + Erythromycin Contraindicated
- Dihydroergotamine + Erythromycin Contraindicated
- Domperidone + Erythromycin Contraindicated
- Dronedarone + Erythromycin Contraindicated
- Droperidol + Erythromycin Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Cholera vaccine with Erythromycin?
MediHelp rates the interaction as major. Cholera vaccine and Erythromycin can interact in a way that may be serious. Using them together is sometimes necessary, but it needs a deliberate decision by the prescriber, a plan for monitoring, and clear advice on the warning signs to watch for. The oral cholera vaccine contains live attenuated bacteria, and systemic antibiotics may kill the vaccine strain and impair the immune response. Labeling advises against vaccination shortly after antibiotic use.
How serious is the interaction between Cholera vaccine and Erythromycin?
MediHelp rates it major, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Do not give the cholera vaccine within 14 days after oral or parenteral antibiotics, or defer vaccination until antibiotic therapy has finished and the washout interval has passed.
What other medicines interact with Erythromycin?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Erythromycin with, for example, Conivaptan, Dihydroergotamine intranasal, Dihydroergotamine. The full list is on the Erythromycin page.
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