Diabetes Canada Guidelines 2018 - Vaccinations

The 2018 Guidelines have expanded the vaccination chapter to now include recommendations for not only the flu shot and the pneumococcal vaccine, but also information regarding hepatitis B and shingles.


Key Messages For People With Diabetes:

You should receive routine vaccinations as recommended for anyone with or without diabetes.
Check if you are up to date with your vaccinations.

You should receive:

• the flu shot, every year
• the pneumococcal vaccine initially when you are over age 18; and again, when you are over age 65 IF your first vaccination was given under age 65 and it's been more than 5 years since you had it

It is now recognized that people with diabetes are at a higher risk of hepatitis B infection compared to people without diabetes.  Outbreaks can happen in places where there is assisted glucose monitoring if hygiene protocols are not adhered to - for example, there have been cases of outbreaks reported in long term care facilities.   The Guidelines do not officially recommend Hepatitis B vaccinations, but do go through some of the pros and cons to consider. 

Though the data is scarce, the existing information suggests that people with diabetes are at an increased risk of getting shingles (herpes zoster), which is a reactivation of the chicken pox virus.  The Diabetes Canada Guidelines list the recommendations for Canadians as a whole for shingles vaccination, with the point of making sure that people with diabetes are vaccinated according to these recommendations. 

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