Saturday, January 2, 2016

Vaccinations And Celiac Disease!

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that can occur in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine.  People with Celiac are also at risk for other autoimmune diseases.  So many wonder if the immune system of people with Celiac respond the same to vaccinations.  It has been proven that for the most part, vaccinations work just as effectively as they do in the general population.  The only exception is hepatitis B vaccination.


Hepatitis B is a disease that affects the liver.  It is transmitted through blood and body fluids.  It is not as common here but still present and common in other parts of the world. The vaccine has been around since the 1980s, and is safe.  As with many vaccines, some people do not respond the same,  that can be due to age, smoking, and weight. 

For Celiac people, the hepatitis B vaccine is just as safe, but far less effective.  In a recent study, 19 people were vaccinated with hepatitis B, and 13 showed no response.  They are not sure why, can also be genetic.  It is important to vaccinate as many people as possible to protect those who are poor responders to the vaccination.

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