Yellow fever vaccination during treatment with infliximab in a patient with ulcerative colitis: A case report

We report the case of a 59-year-old patient who accidentally underwent live vaccination against yellow fever during continuous treatment with the TNF-alpha-antibody (AB) infliximab for ulcerative colitis. The clinical course showed fever of short duration and elevation of liver enzymes without further clinical complications. Yellow fever viremia was not detectable and protective antibodies were developed. A primary vaccination against yellow fever under infliximab has not been reported in the literature before, although vaccination is an important topic in IBD. Live vaccinations, like Stamaril (R) against yellow fever, are contraindicated during TNF-alpha-AB treatment. Treatment regimens containing TNF-alpha-AB are of growing importance, not only in gastroenterology, but also in rheumatology and dermatology. We discuss this topic by presenting our case and reviewing the current literature.