Hydrocortisone and Rotavirus Vaccine, Live: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Aug 8, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Hydrocortisone
Rotavirus Vaccine, Live
No brand names on record
How we grade severity & evidence
Severity levels
- Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
- Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
- Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
- Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.
Evidence grades
- Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
- Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
- Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
- Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
- Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.
What happens
An inadequate immunological response to the vaccine
Interaction Deep Dive
The immune response to vaccines can be reduced in patients who receive greater than physiologic doses of corticosteroids. Live-virus vaccination should be deferred for at least 1 month after discontinuation of high-dose systemically absorbed corticosteroid therapy administered for more than 14 days. When initiating immunosuppressive therapy, wait 4 weeks after a live vaccine and 2 weeks after an inactivated vaccine. If therapy for chronic inflammatory conditions is required, do not delay due to past administration of vaccines. Short term (less than 14 days); a low to moderate dose (less than 20 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent); long-term, alternate-day treatment with short-acting preparations; maintenance physiologic doses; or topical (skin or eyes), inhaled, or by intraarticular, bursal, or tendon injection therapy is not sufficiently immunosuppressive for vaccine safety concerns and is not a contraindication for use of live-virus vaccines. Steroid therapy doses less than 2 mg/kg or 20 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent if weight more than 10 kg when administered for less than 14 days is not sufficiently immunosuppressive for vaccine safety concerns with live-virus vaccines1. No safety or efficacy data are available regarding use in infants who are potentially immunocompromised including those on high-dose systemic corticosteroids, however rotavirus vaccine, live may be administered to infants who are being treated with topical corticosteroids or inhaled steroids 2.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Suppression of the immune system
Common questions
Can I take Hydrocortisone and Rotavirus Vaccine, Live together?
An inadequate immunological response to the vaccine Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Hydrocortisone and Rotavirus Vaccine, Live interaction?
It is rated moderate. Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "delayed". Effects tend to build up gradually over days to weeks.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "established". Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
From our Q&A
Real reader questions about these medications, each personally answered by our pharmacist:
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Hydrocortisone or Rotavirus Vaccine, Live need adjusting while I take them together?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
- Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
- Is there anything you'd monitor while I'm on both?
References (2)
- Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP): Vaccine recommendations and guidelines of the ACIP: altered immunocompetence. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Atlanta, GA. 2017.
- Product Information: ROTATEQ(R) oral solution, rotavirus vaccine live pentavalent oral solution. Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC (per DailyMed), Rahway, NJ, 2023. DailyMed
Keep reading about Hydrocortisone
Keep reading about Rotavirus Vaccine, Live
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