Drug interactions
Cyclosporin + Zoster vaccine live
Severity: Contraindicated
Cyclosporin and Zoster vaccine live: contraindicated interaction.
Last updated Sources: Health Canada product monograph
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 zoster vaccine contains attenuated varicella-zoster virus, which may cause disseminated infection in patients on cyclosporin. Response to the vaccine may also be inadequate.
What this interaction means in plain words
Cyclosporin and Zoster vaccine live 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
Calcineurin inhibition suppresses T-cell immunity, allowing uncontrolled replication of the live vaccine virus.
What to do
Do not give live zoster vaccine to patients on cyclosporin. Use the recombinant non-live zoster vaccine if protection is needed.
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?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Cyclosporin and Zoster vaccine live, the additional notes, the evidence detail and the whole-prescription interaction checker.
- Full clinical management advice
- Additional notes
- Evidence detail
- Interaction checker for a whole prescription
Try Pro+ free for 7 days on the web. No card needed.
References
Other interactions of Cyclosporin
- Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live + Cyclosporin Contraindicated
- Aliskiren + Cyclosporin Contraindicated
- Bcg vaccine live + Cyclosporin Contraindicated
- Bosentan + Cyclosporin Contraindicated
- Cidofovir + Cyclosporin Contraindicated
- Cyclosporin + Dengue vaccine Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Cyclosporin with Zoster vaccine live?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Cyclosporin and Zoster vaccine live 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. Live zoster vaccine contains attenuated varicella-zoster virus, which may cause disseminated infection in patients on cyclosporin. Response to the vaccine may also be inadequate.
How serious is the interaction between Cyclosporin and Zoster vaccine live?
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 live zoster vaccine to patients on cyclosporin. Use the recombinant non-live zoster vaccine if protection is needed.
What other medicines interact with Cyclosporin?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Cyclosporin with, for example, Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live, Aliskiren, Bcg vaccine live. The full list is on the Cyclosporin page.
Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app
Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.
