Celiac News

Persons with Celiac Disease do not have an increased risk of side effects from vaccination compared to others. They can and should receive all routine vaccinations recommended for infants, children and adults.

Routine vaccines may contain weakened strains of viruses (e.g. measles, mumps and rubella vaccine) or milled protein (e.g. tetanus vaccine). Both types of vaccines are recommended and  can be given to persons with Celiac Disease. All vaccines induce the body's immune system to produce antibodies, which protect against infections. Vaccines do not cause infection.

Concern about vaccination in persons with Celiac Disease may arise for the following reasons:

• Persons may have read that measles vaccine can increase the risk of inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's Disease, and wonder if the vaccine will worsen their Celiac Disease. In fact, there is no evidence of any association between measles vaccine and inflammatory bowel disease.
  
  
• People may be concerned about the effect of oral vaccines on their condition. There are no oral vaccines in the routine immunization schedules in Canada (the polio vaccine used in Canada is injectable). However, there may be oral vaccinations recommended for certain travelers. Currently there are two oral travel vaccines; typhoid vaccine and cholera vaccine. These may be recommended for travel to countries where these diseases are common. Both, particularly the typhoid vaccine, can cause gastrointestinal upset. Persons with Celiac Disease who are controlled and without symptoms will not experience more severe side effects than anyone else from these vaccines. If concerned, there is an injectable typhoid vaccine available that works as well as the oral variety and may be preferable to persons with Celiac Disease. The only cholera vaccine available is the oral variety, but this vaccine is rarely needed by travellers.
For any other questions regarding vaccination, contact your local health unit, found in the blue pages of the phone book.