Rituximab and tetanus (etc.)

[Grizzly-bear]

This is to all my fellow immune suppressed folks about rituximab. I've been unable to find solid information, and my consultants aren't sure, so wondered if anyone here knows.

Does rituximab impact our tetanus jabs and similar? I was up to date on all my boosters, but got bit by a tick on Saturday (think I got it out quite quickly so not mega worried about Lyme Disease) and have since read that you can get tetanus from ticks. I can't find any cases of rituximab and tetanus, but don't know how worried I should be.

Do others think/worry about these things? Do people on rituximab or other immune suppressants do gardening?

Hoping I'm worrying over nothing...

[Investigator1]

Hi Grizzly, don’t worry mate, I got bitten by a spider in the garden a few weeks ago and didn’t realise until the evening, you could see the 2 fang marks and it was going bright red and moderately painful but I took an antihistamine and by morning it had gone down by half. I was told by my consultant that if your jabs are established for a year or so they will still be effective and offer good protection. Don’t worry. Nick.

[Grizzly-bear in reply to Investigator1]

Thanks so much, I’d heard different things but that’s reassuring!

[PMRpro]

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/201....

As far as I know, once you have had several tetanus jabs the immune response is well established and often they don't advise further jabs - and presumably you've had several during your lifetime?

[Grizzly-bear in reply to PMRpro]

I have had my booster about 5 years ago in addition to all the primary jabs for tetanus so hopefully just a moderate panic over nothing

[PMRpro in reply to Grizzly-bear]

NHS says"A full course of tetanus vaccination consists of 5 doses of the vaccine. This should be enough to give you long-term protection from tetanus. But if you're not sure how many doses you have received, you may need a booster dose after an injury that breaks your skin."

Which fits with my comment - once you've had 5, that should be you for life ...

I assume that booster was pre-rituximab?

[Grizzly-bear in reply to PMRpro]

Yep was before rituximab by a few years and definitely have 5. Thanks!

[EGPAGuy]

Hi Grizzly..have managed to dodge Rituximab during Covid and am on Mepo..apologies I can't really comment. Having eosinophils suppressed means I am vary of all insects, stings and parasites as a matter of course which for me at least has the added benefit of dodging any allotment duties.