Drug interactions
Dexamethasone + Smallpox vaccine live
Severity: Contraindicated
Dexamethasone and Smallpox vaccine live: 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
Live vaccinia vaccine in a patient on immunosuppressive corticosteroids risks progressive vaccinia and other serious complications, along with reduced vaccine response.
What this interaction means in plain words
Dexamethasone and Smallpox 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
Glucocorticoid immunosuppression permits uncontrolled replication of live vaccinia virus.
What to do
Avoid in patients on immunosuppressive steroid doses outside of a high-risk exposure scenario where specialist advice weighs the risk. Otherwise delay until steroids are stopped and immune function recovers.
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 Dexamethasone
- Bcg vaccine live + Dexamethasone Contraindicated
- Dexamethasone + Mifepristone Contraindicated
- Dexamethasone + Rilpivirine Contraindicated
- Dexamethasone + Varicella virus vaccine live Contraindicated
- Dexamethasone + Yellow fever vaccine Contraindicated
- Dexamethasone + Zoster vaccine live Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Dexamethasone with Smallpox vaccine live?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Dexamethasone and Smallpox 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 vaccinia vaccine in a patient on immunosuppressive corticosteroids risks progressive vaccinia and other serious complications, along with reduced vaccine response.
How serious is the interaction between Dexamethasone and Smallpox 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: Avoid in patients on immunosuppressive steroid doses outside of a high-risk exposure scenario where specialist advice weighs the risk. Otherwise delay until steroids are stopped and immune function recovers.
What other medicines interact with Dexamethasone?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Dexamethasone with, for example, Bcg vaccine live, Mifepristone, Rilpivirine. The full list is on the Dexamethasone page.
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