Renal impairment is associated with a degree of immuno-compromise, although this is usually not clinically significant. Nevertheless it is important that children are fully immunised prior to transplantation, following which the use of immunosuppressive drugs exposes patients to significant infection risk.
Children with CRF should have all their routine immunisations.
In addition they will receive immunisation against hepatitis B and prior to transplantation against varicella and BCG.
As with any patient with chronic disease, they should also receive annual immunisation against influenza.
Patients on immunosuppressive therapy should not receive live vaccines.