Drug interactions
Tacrolimus + Varicella virus vaccine live
Severity: Contraindicated
Tacrolimus and Varicella virus 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
Varicella vaccine is a live attenuated virus that can cause disseminated vaccine-strain disease in patients on tacrolimus. The immune response is also impaired.
What this interaction means in plain words
Tacrolimus and Varicella virus 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 attenuated virus.
What to do
Avoid in patients on tacrolimus. Vaccinate before transplant where possible, and give varicella zoster immunoglobulin or antivirals after exposure.
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 Tacrolimus
- Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live + Tacrolimus Contraindicated
- Bcg vaccine live + Tacrolimus Contraindicated
- Cidofovir + Tacrolimus Contraindicated
- Cyclosporin + Tacrolimus Contraindicated
- Influenza virus vaccine quadrivalent intranasal + Tacrolimus Contraindicated
- Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live + Tacrolimus Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Tacrolimus with Varicella virus vaccine live?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Tacrolimus and Varicella virus 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. Varicella vaccine is a live attenuated virus that can cause disseminated vaccine-strain disease in patients on tacrolimus. The immune response is also impaired.
How serious is the interaction between Tacrolimus and Varicella virus 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 tacrolimus. Vaccinate before transplant where possible, and give varicella zoster immunoglobulin or antivirals after exposure.
What other medicines interact with Tacrolimus?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Tacrolimus with, for example, Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live, Bcg vaccine live, Cidofovir. The full list is on the Tacrolimus page.
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