Routine vaccination in HIV-infected adults

With improved survival of adult patients with HIV-infection, providing routine immunizations as a part of chronic disease management is an increasingly important issue for clinicians. Unfortunately, although the burdens of vaccine preventable diseases, such as hepatitis B and pneumococcal disease, are substantial for this patient population, currently available data show that most routine vaccinations are not administered to the majority of patients at risk despite widespread availability. Therefore, this review will discuss for clinicians the data regarding the safety, immunogenicity, and clinical efficacy of vaccines in adults infected with HIV, to make an evidence-based case for increased vaccine utilization in the care of HIV-infected patients.