Organ transplantation has evolved from an experimental procedure to an acce
pted treatment for otherwise irreversible or congenital disorders. The immu
nosuppression necessary to prevent rejection enhances the severity of many
infectious diseases and may potentially attenuate the response to vaccines
designed to prevent disease. In spite of the frequency and severity of infe
ctious diseases in organ transplant recipients, many children are not fully
vaccinated before transplantation. The safety and efficacy of many of the
currently available vaccines for solid organ transplant recipients have not
been evaluated. We review the currently available data on immunization saf
ety and efficacy, discuss experimental vaccines, and outline strategies to
avoid vaccine-preventable diseases in pediatric organ transplant recipients
.