Vaccines and Kidney Disease

What You Need to Know

Kidney disease at all stages can make you more vulnerable to infections. You may get sick easier or experience more severe symptoms if you do. This is because kidney disease and treatments like dialysis can weaken your immune system over time. Further, anti-rejection medications, or immunosuppressants, also affect your ability to fight off infections.

Vaccines play an important role in keeping you safe and healthy at all stages of kidney disease. Vaccines protect you from harmful germs (like viruses and bacteria) that cause infections.

Vaccines help prevent serious illness in two ways:

1. Protection against catching an infectious disease.
2. Managing your body’s response to an infection.

To learn more about how vaccines work, vaccine safety considerations, and other tools to keep you safe, check out the Vaccines and Kidney Disease Fact Sheet (PDF).

People with late-stage kidney disease, who are on dialysis, or who have received a transplant have specific vaccine recommendations. It’s important to know which vaccines are recommended for you:

• For people with kidney disease at all stages:
  • The influenza (flu) vaccine
  • The COVID-19 vaccine
  • The pneumococcal vaccine
  • The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine
• In addition to those, it is recommended that dialysis and transplant patients also receive:
  • The hepatitis B vaccine
  • The herpes zoster (shingles) vaccine

Check out the resources linked below for more information on each of these vaccines, including the recommended dosages and timing by Health Canada, safety considerations, and more.

Always talk to your healthcare team about your specific situation to determine which vaccines you need and when.

 

Recommended Vaccines for the Kidney Community

• The Flu Vaccine and Kidney Disease

  Kidney patients are more susceptible to the flu, often experiencing more severe symptoms and complications. The flu can also cause further damage to the kidneys and reduce kidney function. Receiving the flu vaccine annually, semi-annually, or even quarterly can help keep you protected.

  For the specific dosage and timing recommendations, safety considerations, and other tips about the flu vaccine for people living with kidney disease, check out the Flu Vaccine and Kidney Disease PDF.

  Does the flu vaccine affect my dialysis treatment?
  No! Non-live flu vaccines are safe for individuals on dialysis and does not interfere with treatment. You can discuss your personal situation with your healthcare team.

• The COVID-19 Vaccine and Kidney Disease

  COVID-19 can be serious for people living with kidney disease. Kidney patients may also experience more serious long term health problems linked to COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccine series and regular boosters help to protect people with kidney disease, who are on dialysis, or have a transplant.

  For the specific dosage and timing recommendations, safety considerations, and other tips about the COVID-19 vaccine for people living with kidney disease, check out the COVID-19 Vaccine and Kidney Disease PDF.

• The Pneumococcal Vaccine and Kidney Disease

  Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is a bacterial infection that targets different systems in the body, including the kidneys. Therefore, it is important for kidney patients to stay up to date with pneumococcal vaccinations to ensure they are protected.

  For the specific dosage and timing recommendations, safety considerations, and other tips about the pneumococcal vaccine for people living with kidney disease, check out the Pneumococcal Vaccine and Kidney Disease PDF.

  Do I need to be vaccinated with PCV20 if I have already received a different pneumococcal vaccine?
  Yes. Health Canada recommends 1 dose of PCV20 or PCV21 for at-risk adults with late-stage kidney disease or nephrotic syndrome, who are on dialysis, or who have a kidney transplant, regardless of their previous vaccination status with PCV13, PCV15, or PPSV23.

• The RSV Vaccine and Kidney Disease

  Kidney patients are more susceptible to Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infection and its complications. Adults with kidney disease, who are on dialysis, or who have a kidney transplant may be considered at risk for RSV and may be eligible for vaccination as early as 60 years old.

  For the specific dosage and timing recommendations, safety considerations, and other tips about the RSV vaccine for people living with kidney disease, check out the RSV Vaccine and Kidney Disease PDF.

• The Hepatitis B Vaccine and Kidney Disease

  Dialysis patients and transplant recipients may be at a higher risk of hepatitis B infection. Although dialysis clinics and transplant facilities have many measures in place to keep you safe, the hepatitis B vaccine is still an important tool to protect kidney patients.

  For the specific dosage and timing recommendations, safety considerations, and other tips about the hepatitis B vaccine for people living with kidney disease, check out the Hepatitis B Vaccine and Kidney Disease PDF.

• The Shingles Vaccine and Kidney Disease

  Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox when it comes back later in life. It can reactivate when your immune system is weakened, increasing the risk of re-infection for those living with kidney disease, on dialysis, or with a transplant. The shingles vaccine can help protect kidney patients from shingles infection.

  For the specific dosage and timing recommendations, safety considerations, and other tips about the shingles vaccine for people living with kidney disease, check out the Shingles Vaccine and Kidney Disease PDF.