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Table. Recommendations for vaccination in people with functional or anatomical asplenia

Vaccine	Age	Recommendations
Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) vaccine	6 weeks to <5 years	Give the recommended course of Hib-containing vaccine, or catch-up vaccination, according to Table. Catch-up schedule for Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccination for children <5 years of age. The child does not need extra or repeat doses.
Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) vaccine	≥5 years	If the person has never received a Hib vaccine dose, give a single dose of Hib-containing vaccine. If the person has not completed their primary course of Hib vaccine, give a single dose of Hib-containing vaccine. If the person has completed their Hib vaccination course , they do not need extra or repeat doses.
Influenza vaccine	6 months to <9 years	Give 2 doses (0.5 mL each), 4 weeks apart, in the 1st year of vaccination. Give 1 dose (0.5 mL) in subsequent years.
Influenza vaccine	≥9 years	Give 1 dose (0.5 mL) every year. If people with asplenia have had a solid organ or haematopoietic stem cell transplant, they need 2 doses of influenza vaccine during their 1st year of influenza vaccination after transplantation.
Meningococcal vaccines	≥2 months	MenACWY vaccine is recommended according to the age at which the vaccine course started (see Table. Recommendations for MenACWY vaccine for people with a specified medical condition that increases their risk of invasive meningococcal disease in Meningococcal disease). MenB vaccine is recommended according to the age at which the vaccine course started (see Table. Recommendations for MenB vaccine for people with a specified medical condition that increases their risk of invasive meningococcal disease in Meningococcal disease). Infants can receive MenB vaccine from 6 weeks of age to align with the schedule for other routine infant vaccines. People who are at increased risk of meningococcal disease can receive MenB and MenACWY vaccines together. (See also Meningococcal disease).
Pneumococcal vaccines	≤12 months	Give a 3-dose primary course of a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, with a 4th dose of the same pneumococcal conjugate vaccine at age 12 months. Give a single dose of 23vPPV at age 4 years and another dose of 23vPPV, at least 5 years later.
	≥12 months -5 yrs	If the condition is pre-existing and the child has not received a complete primary course (as above) follow Table. Catch-up schedule for pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in NT, Qld, SA or WA ONLY, and all children with any medical condition(s) associated with an increased risk of invasive pneumococcal disease, aged <5 years for catch-up schedules. If newly diagnosed follow Table. Catch-up schedule for pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in NT, Qld, SA or WA ONLY, and all children with any medical condition(s) associated with an increased risk of invasive pneumococcal disease, aged <5 years, to determine the number of PCV doses now required based on the number of doses already received and the age at presentation. The above doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine should be followed with two doses of 23vPPV. The first dose of 23vPPV should be given 12 months after the last PCV dose or at 4 years of age, whichever is later. The second dose of 23vPPV should be given 5 years after the first 23vPPV dose.
	≥5 years	If the condition is newly diagnosed or the person has never received a dose of a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine due to the presence of the risk condition, give a single dose of a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (13vPCV or 15vPCV or 20vPCV), followed by 2 doses of 23vPPV (as below). The recommended interval between a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine dose and a subsequent 23vPPV dose is 12 months (an interval of 2–12 months acceptable). The recommended minimum interval between any two 23vPPV doses is 5 years. There is a maximum limit of 2 doses of 23vPPV. Therefore, if the person has already received at least 2 doses of 23vPPV, no further 23vPPV doses are required. If the person has received 1 dose of 23vPPV previously, give the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine at least 12 months after the previous 23vPPV dose. Give the 2nd 23vPPV dose 12 months after the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine dose, and at least 5 years after the previous 23vPPV dose, whichever is later. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged ≥50 years, these vaccine doses are covered in the routine recommendation and do not need to be repeated. For non-Indigenous adults aged ≥70 years, a dose of a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is part of the routine recommendation and does not need to be repeated.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine	≥60 years	A single dose of RSV vaccine is recommended in adults aged ≥60 years who are at increased risk of severe RSV disease including those with asplenia or splenic dysfunction.

Page history

Last updated

16 August 2024

Last reviewed

16 August 2024

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