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Table. Vaccination for people with inborn errors of immunity: live vaccines

Live vaccine	Antibody (B-cell) immunodeficiency	T-cell or combined (T- and B-cell) immunodeficiency	Phagocytic and neutrophil disorder	Defect of innate immunity	Complement deficiency
BCG	Contraindicated	Contraindicated	Contraindicated	Contraindicated, or consult a specialist	Use if indicated
Cholera (live)	Contraindicated^a	Contraindicated^a	Contraindicated^a	Contraindicated^a	Use if indicated
Influenza (live)	Contraindicated^a	Contraindicated^a	Contraindicated^a	Contraindicated^a	Recommended annually, can be used as an alternative to inactivated influenza vaccine in children aged 2–<18 years
Japanese encephalitis (live)	Contraindicated^a	Contraindicated^a	Contraindicated^a	Contraindicated^a	Contraindicated
Measles-mumps-rubella^b	Contraindicated, except for partial antibody deficiency with known intact T-cell immunity	Contraindicated, except for partial T-cell or combined deficiencies with a CD4⁺ count >500 cells/μL and normal mitogen response	Generally contraindicated, except for chronic granulomatous disease	Contraindicated, except for IFN-gamma/IL-12 axis defects	Follow routine schedule
Q fever	Contraindicated, or consult a specialist	Contraindicated, or consult a specialist	Contraindicated, or consult a specialist	Contraindicated, or consult a specialist	Use if indicated
Rotavirus	Contraindicated	Contraindicated	Generally contraindicated, except for chronic granulomatous disease	Contraindicated, or consult a specialist	Follow routine schedule
Typhoid (live)	Contraindicated^a	Contraindicated^a	Contraindicated^a	Contraindicated^a	Use if indicated
Varicella (monovalent)^b	Contraindicated, except for partial antibody deficiency with known intact T-cell immunity	Generally contraindicated, except for partial T-cell or combined deficiencies with a CD4⁺ count >500 cells/μL and normal mitogen response	Generally contraindicated, except for chronic granulomatous disease	Contraindicated, except for IFN-gamma/IL-12 axis defects	Follow routine schedule
Yellow fever	Contraindicated, or consult a specialist	Contraindicated, or consult a specialist	Generally contraindicated, except for chronic granulomatous disease	Contraindicated, or consult a specialist	Use if indicated
Acronyms used: BCG = bacille Calmette–Guérin IFN = interferon Ig = immunoglobulin IL = interleukin Footnotes: ^a If indicated for use, choose the non-live vaccine option. ^b Measles-mumps-rubella-varicella combination vaccines are not recommended.

Page history

Last updated

13 March 2026

Last reviewed

13 March 2026

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