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Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Vaccines & Immunizations

Recommendations and Guidelines:

Adult Immunization Schedule
(Anyone over 18 years old)

Immunization Recommendations, United States October 2007-September 2008

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2007-2008 Adult Schedule


2006-2007 Adult Immunization Schedule

Other versions can be viewed on the Schedules page

2007-2008 Regular version:
(October 2007 - September 2008)
Other versions:

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Changes in the schedule since last version

The 2007-2008 schedule differs from the previous schedule as follows:

  • Age-Based Schedule

    • The yellow bar for varicella vaccine has been extended through all age groups, indicating that the vaccine is recommended for all adults without evidence of immunity to varicella.
    • Zoster vaccine has been added, with a yellow bar indicating that the vaccine is recommended for persons aged 60 years and older.
  • Medical/Other Indications Schedule
    • The title has been changed to "Vaccines that might be indicated for adults based on medical and other indications," indicating that not all of the vaccines are recommended based on medical indications.
    • The word "contraindicated" has been added to the red bars and removed from the legend.
    • The "immunocompromising conditions" column heading has been shortened by removing the list of conditions.
    • The "human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection" column has been moved next to the "immunocompromising conditions" column.
    • The HIV column has been split into CD4+ T lymphocyte counts of less than 200 cells/µL and 200 cells/µL or more.
    • The indication "recipients of clotting factor concentrates" has been removed from the column heading "chronic liver disease" because only one vaccine has this recommendation. The indication remains in the hepatitis A vaccine footnote.
    • The varicella vaccine yellow bar has been extended to include persons infected with HIV who have CD4+ T lymphocyte counts of 200 cells/µL or more.
    • The influenza vaccine yellow bar for "health-care personnel" indicates that health-care personnel can receive either trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) or live, attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV).
    • The yellow bar for influenza vaccine has been extended to include persons in the "asplenia" risk group.
    • The bar for meningococcal vaccine has been revised to indicate that 1 or more doses might be indicated.
    • Zoster vaccine has been added to the schedule with a yellow bar to indicate that the vaccine is recommended for all indications except pregnancy, immunocompromising conditions, and HIV. A red bar, indicating a contraindication, has been inserted for pregnancy, immunocompromising conditions, and HIV infection with a CD4+ T lymphocyte count of less than 200 cells/µL.
  • Footnotes
    • Text for vaccine contraindications in pregnancy has been removed from the footnotes of human papillomavirus (HPV) (#2); measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) (#3); and varicella (#4) to be consistent with the intent of the footnotes to summarize the indications for vaccine use. Pregnancy contraindications are indicated with a red bar.
    • The HPV footnote (#2) has been revised to clarify evidence of prior infection, clarify that HPV vaccine is not specifically indicated based on medical conditions, and indicate that efficacy and immunogenicity might be lower in persons with certain medical conditions.
    • The varicella footnote (#4) has been revised to clarify that birth before 1980 for immunocompromised persons is not evidence of immunity and to add a requirement for evidence of immunity.
    • The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) footnote (#6) has been revised by adding chronic alcoholism and cerebrospinal fluid leaks and deleting the immunocompromising conditions.
    • The hepatitis B footnote (#9) has been revised by removing persons who receive clotting factor concentrates as a risk group and by clarifying the special formulations dose.
    • The meningococcal vaccine footnote (#10) has been revised to clarify that persons who remain at increased risk for infection might be indicated for revaccination.
    • A footnote (#11) has been added to reflect ACIP recommendations for herpes zoster vaccination for persons aged 60 years or older.
    • A footnote (#13) has been added to provide a reference for vaccines in persons with immunocompromising conditions.

See MMWR for complete list, figures, footnotes, and references omitted here.

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Why might some adults need vaccines?

Some adults incorrectly assume that the vaccines they received as children will protect them for the rest of their lives. Generally this is true, except that:

  • Some adults were never vaccinated as children

  • Newer vaccines were not available when some adults were children

  • Immunity can begin to fade over time

  • As we age, we become more susceptible to serious disease caused by common infections (e.g., flu, pneumococcus)

Consult the Adult Vaccine Preventable Diseases page to learn about each disease. It includes a short description, symptoms, complications, transmission, and whether or not you need the vaccine as an adult.

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Adult Vaccination Screening Form

It can sometimes be difficult to understand or keep track of exactly which vaccines you need. Use the following form to help you understand what vaccines might be important for you. Questions on the form help you and your doctor decide which vaccines you need and when to get them. You can print the form, fill it out, and take it with you to the office the next time you see your doctor. The clinician's version of the form can be distributed and used in clinics and healthcare professionals' offices.

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Adolescent and Adult Vaccine "Quiz"

Vaccines are important for adult and adolescents as well as children. Vaccine recommendations for adolescents and adults are based on a variety of factors including age, overall health status, and medical history.

To help you understand what vaccines you might need, you can complete the Adolescent and Adult Vaccine Quiz online. Then print your results and discuss them with your doctor or healthcare professional next time you make an office visit. Take the quiz.

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Related Topics

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This page last modified on July 28, 2008
Content last reviewed on January 26, 2007
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases

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Vaccines and Immunizations