Doowot wrote:
>> Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide) is an immunosuppressive drug used in treatment of
> lupus and other autoimmune diseases. Does anyone know if cyclophosphamide
> reduces or cancels immunities induced by previous vaccinations for such
> diseases as pneumonia, flu, tetanus, etc.? Has anyone tackled this possibility
> experimentally? I know of a case involving bacterial pneumonia (11/96) that
> developed in a patient who had Cytoxan treatments (3/94-12/95) after pneumonia
> vaccination (11/93). I don't know that there is any connection but I'm
> suspicious.
> Should patients be revaccinated after Cytoxan treatments?
>> Thanks in advance,
> Harry Granger
While i don't know I could guess (YEH GUESS THATS RIGHT EH!)
Cyclophosphomide is cytocidal for actively proliferating cells so
memory cells shouldn't be effected however the case you talked about
seemed very close timeing between vaccinations and treatment so maybe
it had an effect but then again maybe the vaccine just didn't take. I
think that the true assessment of a vaccine working is if you get
exposed and don't get sick since they don't normally test for vaccine
efficacy after vaccinations
