Vaccination in liver diseases and liver transplantation: Recommendations, implications and opportunities in the post-COVID era
María Pilar Ballester, Rajiv Jalan, Gautam Mehta
Abstract
The interest in vaccination efficacy and toxicity has surged following the Covid-19 pandemic. Immune responses to several vaccines have been shown to be suboptimal in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) or post-liver transplant (LT), as a consequence of cirrhosis-associated immune dysfunction (CAID) or post-LT immunosuppression respectively. Accordingly, vaccine-preventable infections may be more common or severe than in the general population. The Covid-19 pandemic has greatly accelerated research and development into vaccination technology and platforms, which will have spillover benefits for liver patients. The aims of this review are: (i) to discuss the impact of vaccine-preventable infections on CLD and post-LT patients, (ii) to appraise current evidence supporting vaccination strategies, and (iii) to provide some insight into recent developments relevant for liver patients.