Drug interactions
Cytarabine + Meningococcal group b vaccine
Severity: Moderate
Cytarabine and Meningococcal group b vaccine: 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
Cytarabine causes bone marrow suppression and impaired immune function, which can blunt antibody responses to inactivated vaccines such as the meningococcal group B vaccine. Patients may remain inadequately protected despite completing the vaccination series.
What this interaction means in plain words
Cytarabine and Meningococcal group b vaccine 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
Cytotoxic immunosuppression by cytarabine reduces the immune response to vaccine antigens.
What to do
When possible, vaccinate at least 2 weeks before starting chemotherapy or delay until immune recovery after treatment. If given during therapy, consider checking antibody response and revaccinating after recovery.
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?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Cytarabine and Meningococcal group b vaccine, 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.
Other interactions of Cytarabine
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Cytarabine with Meningococcal group b vaccine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Cytarabine and Meningococcal group b vaccine 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. Cytarabine causes bone marrow suppression and impaired immune function, which can blunt antibody responses to inactivated vaccines such as the meningococcal group B vaccine. Patients may remain inadequately protected despite completing the vaccination series.
How serious is the interaction between Cytarabine and Meningococcal group b vaccine?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: When possible, vaccinate at least 2 weeks before starting chemotherapy or delay until immune recovery after treatment. If given during therapy, consider checking antibody response and revaccinating after recovery.
What other medicines interact with Cytarabine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Cytarabine with, for example, Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live, Axicabtagene ciloleucel, Belatacept. The full list is on the Cytarabine 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.
