Drug interactions
Ustekinumab + Zoster vaccine live
Severity: Major
Ustekinumab and Zoster vaccine live: major 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 zoster vaccine may cause disseminated varicella-zoster vaccine-strain infection in patients on ustekinumab. Response may also be diminished.
What this interaction means in plain words
Ustekinumab and Zoster vaccine live 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
Immunosuppression via IL-12/23 blockade may allow uncontrolled replication of live attenuated virus.
What to do
Avoid the live vaccine; use the recombinant non-live zoster vaccine where indicated.
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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Other interactions of Ustekinumab
- Bcg vaccine live + Ustekinumab Contraindicated
- Typhoid vaccine live + Ustekinumab Contraindicated
- Adalimumab + Ustekinumab Major
- Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live + Ustekinumab Major
- Alefacept + Ustekinumab Major
- Anakinra + Ustekinumab Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Ustekinumab with Zoster vaccine live?
MediHelp rates the interaction as major. Ustekinumab and Zoster vaccine live 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 zoster vaccine may cause disseminated varicella-zoster vaccine-strain infection in patients on ustekinumab. Response may also be diminished.
How serious is the interaction between Ustekinumab and Zoster vaccine live?
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 the live vaccine; use the recombinant non-live zoster vaccine where indicated.
What other medicines interact with Ustekinumab?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Ustekinumab with, for example, Bcg vaccine live, Typhoid vaccine live, Adalimumab. The full list is on the Ustekinumab page.
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