Immunosuppression renders patients with renal transplants particularly susceptible to vaccine-preventable diseases; however, the use of recommended vaccines before and after transplantation is suboptimal because of fears of toxicity or allograft rejection, which are generally unfounded. The authors of this Review describe the general tenets of immunization in patients who are scheduled for or who have undergone kidney transplantation, and they discuss the efficacy, safety, dosage and timing of vaccination for the relevant diseases and the need for post-vaccination monitoring in this setting.
- Jennifer Cohn
- Emily A Blumberg
