Immunization of pediatric solid organ transplant candidates and recipients

Organ transplantation has evolved from an experimental procedure to an accepted treatment for otherwise irreversible or congenital disorders. The immunosuppression necessary to prevent rejection enhances the severity of many infectious diseases and may potentially attenuate the response to vaccines designed to prevent disease. In spite of the frequency and severity of infectious diseases in organ transplant recipients, many children are not fully vaccinated before transplantation. The safety and efficacy of many of the currently available vaccines for solid organ transplant recipients have not been evaluated. We review the currently available data on immunization safety and efficacy, discuss experimental vaccines, and outline strategies to avoid vaccine-preventable diseases in pediatric organ transplant recipients.