Live-Attenuated Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) and Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) Vaccines Are Safe in Pediatric Patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) Treated with Biologics

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) broadly refers to a group of heterogenous diseases that share the common feature of chronic inflammatory arthritis of unknown cause lasting longer than 6 weeks with onset before 16 years of age [3]. Patients with autoimmune diseases such as JIA remain under-vaccinated due to hypothetical concern for infection development. However, it is crucial for these patients to be protected against vaccine-preventable illnesses due to their underlying immune dysfunction as well as the various immunomodulatory drugs that are used in its treatment. Current recommendations are out of date, as they clearly advise physicians to avoid giving these important vaccinations due to unsupported concerns that they are putting patients at risk of preventable death from infection arising from live vaccines. We performed a retrospective chart review and obtained data from patients via phone survey. Our results showed that the use of live-attenuated MMR and VZV vaccines is safe in pediatric patients with JIA being treated with biologics, as there were no serious adverse events reported.