Protecting Adults Through Vaccines

Disease*	Who Should Be Vaccinated
Anthrax	People who have been exposed to anthrax People who may be exposed to anthrax, such as the following: Some military personnel Some laboratory workers Veterinarians
Chikungunya	Adults traveling to certain areas with chikungunya virus Laboratory workers in the United States
Chickenpox (varicella)	All adults who have not had the vaccine or chickenpox
COVID-19	All people 6 months of age and older (vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) All people 12 years of age and older (vaccine made by Novavax)
Diphtheria	All adults (usually as a combination vaccine with tetanus as Td or also with pertussis as Tdap) if they have not already been vaccinated Pregnant women should receive Tdap during each pregnancy
Ebola	Adults in the United States who are at high risk of occupational exposure to Ebola because they are doing the following: Responding to an outbreak of Ebola virus disease Working as health care personnel at federally designated Ebola treatment centers in the United States Working as laboratory personnel or as other staff at biosafety level 4 facilities in the United States Working as laboratory personnel or support staff members at Laboratory Response Network facilities
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) infections (such as meningitis)	Adults who have not been vaccinated and who are at increased risk, such as the following: People who do not have a spleen or their spleen does not work well People who have had stem cell transplantation
Hepatitis A	Adults who have not been vaccinated and who are at increased risk, such as the following: People who travel to or work in areas where the infection is common People who use illicit drugs Men who have sex with men People who have a chronic liver disorder or high levels of certain liver enzymes in their blood Healthy adults 40 years or under who have recently been exposed to hepatitis A virus People who anticipate close contact with an adopted child during the first 60 days after the child arrives in the United States from an area where hepatitis A is common People who are homeless Pregnant women who are identified to be at risk of getting hepatitis A infection during pregnancy (such as women who are international travelers, who use illicit drugs [injected or not], who may be exposed at work, who anticipate close personal contact with an international adopted child, or who are homeless) or who are at risk of getting very sick or dying of hepatitis A virus infection (such as women who have chronic liver disease or HIV infection)
Hepatitis B	All adults 19–59 years of age and adults 60 years of age and older with risk factors for hepatitis B. Adults 60 years of age and older without known risk factors for hepatitis B may also receive the hepatitis B vaccine. Risk factors include the following: Health care or public safety workers Travelers to areas where the infection is common People with a chronic liver disorder or high levels of certain liver enzymes in their blood People with kidney failure who need dialysis People who inject illicit drugs People who have had more than one sex partner during the past 6 months People who need to be evaluated or treated for a sexually transmitted infection Men who have sex with men Sex partners and household contacts of people known to be carriers of hepatitis B People with HIV infection People who have diabetes, using shared clinical decision-making based on discussions with their health care professional People who have spent time (as patients, residents, or employees) in correctional facilities or in facilities that provide services for people at high risk of hepatitis B (such as substance abuse treatment centers, sites for illicit injection drug use, hemodialysis centers, institutions for people with developmental disabilities, and places where people with sexually transmitted infections or HIV infection are tested and treated)
Human papillomavirus (HPV)	All males and females who have not been previously vaccinated (typically at age 11 or 12 years) through age 26 years All adults 27 to 45 years old should talk with their doctor about whether they should be vaccinated People who have a weakened immune system, including people with HIV
Influenza	All people over age 6 months
Measles	All adults born in or after 1957 unless they have documentation of vaccination with one or more doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine or laboratory tests detect evidence of measles immunity Always given as a combination vaccine with mumps and rubella (not available as a single vaccine)
Meningococcal meningitis	Certain people over age 55 People 16 to 23 years of age who want it People at increased risk, such as the following: People who do not have a spleen or their spleen does not work well (including sickle cell disease) People with HIV infection complement system) People who work in a microbiology laboratory who are routinely exposed to the bacteria Adolescents if they have not already been vaccinated First-year college students who live in dormitories who are 21 years old or younger and who have not been given a dose of the vaccine on or after their 16th birthday Military recruits Travelers to or residents of areas where the infection is common People who have been exposed during a meningitis outbreak
Mumps	All adults born in or after 1957 unless they have documentation of vaccination with one or more doses of the MMR vaccine or if laboratory tests detect evidence of mumps immunity Always given as a combination vaccine with measles and rubella (not available as a single vaccine)
Pertussis (whooping cough)	All adults (usually given as a combination vaccine with tetanus and diphtheria as Tdap) if they have not already been vaccinated Pregnant women during each pregnancy
Pneumococcal infections (such as meningitis and pneumonia)	All people 65 years old and over Adults 19 to 64 years old who have certain medical conditions or other risk factors such as the following: Chronic heart, lung (including asthma and emphysema), kidney, or liver disorder Diabetes Cerebrospinal fluid leak Weakened immune system (including those with HIV infection, leukemia, lymphoma, or cancer, those who take medications that suppress the immune system [immunosuppressants], and those who have had certain organ transplants) Missing spleen or their spleen does not work well (including those with sickle cell disease) Cochlear implant Alcohol use disorder Cigarette smoking
Polio	Adults at increased risk, such as Travelers to areas where polio is common Laboratory workers who work with the polio virus People who treat people who may have polio
Rabies	People who have been bitten by certain animals People who may be at increased risk of exposure to infected animals, such as Veterinarians and animal handlers Laboratory workers who handle animals that may be rabid People who explore bat caves People who live or stay more than 30 days in developing countries where rabies in dogs is widespread
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)	Adults 60 years old and over, using shared clinical decision-making based on discussions with their health care professional Pregnant individuals at 32 to 36 weeks gestation for the prevention of lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV in infants from birth through 6 months of age
Rubella (German measles)	All adults born in or after 1957 unless they have documentation of vaccination with one or more doses of the MMR vaccine or if laboratory tests detect evidence of rubella immunity Women who are planning on becoming pregnant and do not have immunity to rubella Always given as a combination vaccine with measles and mumps (not available as a single vaccine)
Shingles (herpes zoster)	People 50 years old and over People 19 years old and over who have or will have a weakened immune system because of a disease or treatment for a disease
Smallpox	Not currently recommended except for people at high risk of being exposed to the smallpox virus, such as laboratory workers who directly handle the virus and related materials
Tetanus	All adults every 10 years (usually as a combination vaccine with tetanus and diphtheria as Td or also with pertussis as Tdap) if they have not already been vaccinated People who have a wound that poses an increased risk of tetanus if 5 years or longer have elapsed since their previous vaccine dose Pregnant women should receive Tdap during each pregnancy
Typhoid	People traveling to areas where the infection is common People who have close contact with a typhoid carrier Laboratory workers who work with the bacteria that cause typhoid fever
Yellow fever	People traveling to certain parts of Africa and South America, where the infection is common
* Vaccines are available in the United States for these infections.
HIV = human immunodeficiency virus; Td = tetanus-diphtheria; Tdap = tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis.

Disease*

Who Should Be Vaccinated

Anthrax

People who have been exposed to anthrax

People who may be exposed to anthrax, such as the following:

Some military personnel
Some laboratory workers
Veterinarians

Chikungunya

Adults traveling to certain areas with chikungunya virus

Laboratory workers in the United States

Chickenpox (varicella)

All adults who have not had the vaccine or chickenpox

COVID-19

All people 6 months of age and older (vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna)

All people 12 years of age and older (vaccine made by Novavax)

Diphtheria

All adults (usually as a combination vaccine with tetanus as Td or also with pertussis as Tdap) if they have not already been vaccinated

Pregnant women should receive Tdap during each pregnancy

Ebola

Adults in the United States who are at high risk of occupational exposure to Ebola because they are doing the following:

Responding to an outbreak of Ebola virus disease
Working as health care personnel at federally designated Ebola treatment centers in the United States
Working as laboratory personnel or as other staff at biosafety level 4 facilities in the United States
Working as laboratory personnel or support staff members at Laboratory Response Network facilities

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) infections (such as meningitis)

Adults who have not been vaccinated and who are at increased risk, such as the following:

People who do not have a spleen or their spleen does not work well
People who have had stem cell transplantation

Hepatitis A

Adults who have not been vaccinated and who are at increased risk, such as the following:

People who travel to or work in areas where the infection is common
People who use illicit drugs
Men who have sex with men
People who have a chronic liver disorder or high levels of certain liver enzymes in their blood
Healthy adults 40 years or under who have recently been exposed to hepatitis A virus
People who anticipate close contact with an adopted child during the first 60 days after the child arrives in the United States from an area where hepatitis A is common
People who are homeless
Pregnant women who are identified to be at risk of getting hepatitis A infection during pregnancy (such as women who are international travelers, who use illicit drugs [injected or not], who may be exposed at work, who anticipate close personal contact with an international adopted child, or who are homeless) or who are at risk of getting very sick or dying of hepatitis A virus infection (such as women who have chronic liver disease or HIV infection)

Hepatitis B

All adults 19–59 years of age and adults 60 years of age and older with risk factors for hepatitis B. Adults 60 years of age and older without known risk factors for hepatitis B may also receive the hepatitis B vaccine. Risk factors include the following:

Health care or public safety workers
Travelers to areas where the infection is common
People with a chronic liver disorder or high levels of certain liver enzymes in their blood
People with kidney failure who need dialysis
People who inject illicit drugs
People who have had more than one sex partner during the past 6 months
People who need to be evaluated or treated for a sexually transmitted infection
Men who have sex with men
Sex partners and household contacts of people known to be carriers of hepatitis B
People with HIV infection
People who have diabetes, using shared clinical decision-making based on discussions with their health care professional
People who have spent time (as patients, residents, or employees) in correctional facilities or in facilities that provide services for people at high risk of hepatitis B (such as substance abuse treatment centers, sites for illicit injection drug use, hemodialysis centers, institutions for people with developmental disabilities, and places where people with sexually transmitted infections or HIV infection are tested and treated)

Human papillomavirus (HPV)

All males and females who have not been previously vaccinated (typically at age 11 or 12 years) through age 26 years

All adults 27 to 45 years old should talk with their doctor about whether they should be vaccinated

People who have a weakened immune system, including people with HIV

Influenza

All people over age 6 months

Measles

All adults born in or after 1957 unless they have documentation of vaccination with one or more doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine or laboratory tests detect evidence of measles immunity

Always given as a combination vaccine with mumps and rubella (not available as a single vaccine)

Meningococcal meningitis

Certain people over age 55

People 16 to 23 years of age who want it

People at increased risk, such as the following:

People who do not have a spleen or their spleen does not work well (including sickle cell disease)
People with HIV infection
complement system)
People who work in a microbiology laboratory who are routinely exposed to the bacteria
Adolescents if they have not already been vaccinated
First-year college students who live in dormitories who are 21 years old or younger and who have not been given a dose of the vaccine on or after their 16th birthday
Military recruits
Travelers to or residents of areas where the infection is common
People who have been exposed during a meningitis outbreak

Mumps

All adults born in or after 1957 unless they have documentation of vaccination with one or more doses of the MMR vaccine or if laboratory tests detect evidence of mumps immunity

Always given as a combination vaccine with measles and rubella (not available as a single vaccine)

Pertussis (whooping cough)

All adults (usually given as a combination vaccine with tetanus and diphtheria as Tdap) if they have not already been vaccinated

Pregnant women during each pregnancy

Pneumococcal infections (such as meningitis and pneumonia)

All people 65 years old and over

Adults 19 to 64 years old who have certain medical conditions or other risk factors such as the following:

Chronic heart, lung (including asthma and emphysema), kidney, or liver disorder
Diabetes
Cerebrospinal fluid leak
Weakened immune system (including those with HIV infection, leukemia, lymphoma, or cancer, those who take medications that suppress the immune system [immunosuppressants], and those who have had certain organ transplants)
Missing spleen or their spleen does not work well (including those with sickle cell disease)
Cochlear implant
Alcohol use disorder
Cigarette smoking

Polio

Adults at increased risk, such as

Travelers to areas where polio is common
Laboratory workers who work with the polio virus
People who treat people who may have polio

Rabies

People who have been bitten by certain animals

People who may be at increased risk of exposure to infected animals, such as

Veterinarians and animal handlers
Laboratory workers who handle animals that may be rabid
People who explore bat caves
People who live or stay more than 30 days in developing countries where rabies in dogs is widespread

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

Adults 60 years old and over, using shared clinical decision-making based on discussions with their health care professional

Pregnant individuals at 32 to 36 weeks gestation for the prevention of lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV in infants from birth through 6 months of age

Rubella (German measles)

All adults born in or after 1957 unless they have documentation of vaccination with one or more doses of the MMR vaccine or if laboratory tests detect evidence of rubella immunity

Women who are planning on becoming pregnant and do not have immunity to rubella

Always given as a combination vaccine with measles and mumps (not available as a single vaccine)

Shingles (herpes zoster)

People 50 years old and over

People 19 years old and over who have or will have a weakened immune system because of a disease or treatment for a disease

Smallpox

Not currently recommended except for people at high risk of being exposed to the smallpox virus, such as laboratory workers who directly handle the virus and related materials

Tetanus

All adults every 10 years (usually as a combination vaccine with tetanus and diphtheria as Td or also with pertussis as Tdap) if they have not already been vaccinated

People who have a wound that poses an increased risk of tetanus if 5 years or longer have elapsed since their previous vaccine dose

Pregnant women should receive Tdap during each pregnancy

Typhoid

People traveling to areas where the infection is common

People who have close contact with a typhoid carrier

Laboratory workers who work with the bacteria that cause typhoid fever

Yellow fever

People traveling to certain parts of Africa and South America, where the infection is common

* Vaccines are available in the United States for these infections.

HIV = human immunodeficiency virus; Td = tetanus-diphtheria; Tdap = tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis.

In these topics

Overview of Immunization