COVID-19 Vaccination in Lung Transplant Recipients

Abstract

Lung transplant patients are at increased risk of infection due to immunosuppression. Vaccination is a key source of protection; however, after transplant, patients tend to have diminished host response. This is an important concern given the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Less is known about how transplant patients respond to COVID-19 vaccination and how best to approach immunization in the setting of a global pandemic. Lung transplant patients, and solid organ transplant patients as whole, have a less robust immune response after COVID-19 vaccination. This article reviews the literature on vaccine immune response in transplant patients with a focus on COVID-19 vaccination and international society guidelines.