Recommended vaccines for
adults living with HIV

VACCINE

DISEASE

DOSE

Recommended for all adults living with HIV

Hepatitis B virus (HBV)

hepatitis B

3 shots over 6 months

Recommended unless there’s evidence of immunity or active hepatitis. Checking HBV antibody levels with a blood test should be done after completing series of shots. More shots may be needed if antibody levels are too low.

Influenza

flu

1 shot

Must be given every year. Only injectable flu vaccine should be given to people with HIV. The nasal spray vaccine (FluMist/LAIV) should not be used. (For more information, read Project Inform’s publication, Flu Season and Living with HIV.)

Polysaccharide pneumococcal (PPV)

pneumonia

1 or 2 shots

Should be given soon after HIV diagnosis, unless taken within past 5 years. If CD4 count is below 200 when the vaccine is given, another should be given when CD4 count is above 200. Repeat once after 5 years.

Tetanus and diphtheria toxoid (Td)

lockjaw  and diphtheria

1 shot

Given every 10 years.

Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap)

lockjaw, diphtheria and pertussis

1 shot

Recommended for adults 64-years-old or younger and should be given in place of next Td booster. Can be given as soon as 2 years after last Td for health care workers and persons in close contact with babies under 12 months.

Recommended for some adults living with HIV

Hepatitis A virus (HAV)

hepatitis A

2 shots over 1 or 1.5 years

Recommended for health care workers, men who have sex with men, injection drug users, people with chronic liver disease (including chronic hepatitis B or C), hemophiliacs and people traveling to certain parts of the world. (For more information, read Project Inform’s publication, Hepatitis A.)

Hepatitis A/Hepatitis B combined vaccine (Twinrix)

hepatitis A and B

3 shots over 1 year

Can be used in those who need both HAV and HBV immunization. (For more information, read Project Inform’s publication, Hepatitis A.)

Haemophilus influenzae type B

bacterial pneumonia

1 shot

Adults with HIV and their health care providers should discuss whether this vaccine is needed.

Human papillomavirus (HPV)

human papillomavirus

3 shots over 6 months

Recommended for females ages 9–26, but not recommended during pregnancy.

Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)

measles, mumps and German measles

1 or 2 shots

People born before 1957 do not need to take this vaccine. HIV-positive adults with CD4 counts below 200, a history of AIDS-defining illness, or clinical symptoms of HIV should not get the MMR vaccine. Each part can be given separately if needed.

Meningococcal

bacterial meningitis

1 shot

Recommended for college students, military recruits, people without a spleen, and people traveling to certain parts of the world.

Varicella

chickenpox

2 shots over 4–8 weeks

People born before 1980 do not need to take this. Recommended unless there’s evidence of immunity or CD4 count is 200 or below. Not recommended during pregnancy.

Not recommended for adults living with HIV

Anthrax

anthrax

Smallpox

smallpox

Zoster *

shingles

The current smallpox vaccine is a live viral vaccine. Some live vaccines are not recommended for people with HIV.

Although the current anthrax vaccine is not a live vaccine, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices does not recommend routine anthrax vaccination.

* Immunization for adults 60 years of age and older.