Drug interactions
Prednisone + Yellow fever vaccine
Severity: Major
Prednisone and Yellow fever vaccine: major interaction.
Last updated Sources: US FDA label
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 yellow fever vaccine can cause serious viscerotropic or neurotropic disease in immunosuppressed people, and prednisone may also weaken protection. The risk increases with higher doses and longer treatment.
What this interaction means in plain words
Prednisone and Yellow fever vaccine 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
Corticosteroid-induced immunosuppression permits uncontrolled replication of the live attenuated virus and reduces vaccine response.
What to do
Avoid vaccination in patients on immunosuppressive prednisone doses and defer until at least 1 month after stopping. If travel is unavoidable, consider a medical exemption letter and mosquito-avoidance measures.
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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References
Other interactions of Prednisone
- Bcg vaccine live + Prednisone Contraindicated
- Measles vaccine + Prednisone Contraindicated
- Mifepristone + Prednisone Contraindicated
- Prednisone + Radium-223 dichloride Contraindicated
- Prednisone + Smallpox vaccine live Contraindicated
- Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live + Prednisone Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Prednisone with Yellow fever vaccine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as major. Prednisone and Yellow fever vaccine 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. Live yellow fever vaccine can cause serious viscerotropic or neurotropic disease in immunosuppressed people, and prednisone may also weaken protection. The risk increases with higher doses and longer treatment.
How serious is the interaction between Prednisone and Yellow fever vaccine?
MediHelp rates it major, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Avoid vaccination in patients on immunosuppressive prednisone doses and defer until at least 1 month after stopping. If travel is unavoidable, consider a medical exemption letter and mosquito-avoidance measures.
What other medicines interact with Prednisone?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Prednisone with, for example, Bcg vaccine live, Measles vaccine, Mifepristone. The full list is on the Prednisone page.
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