Because immunosuppressive medications interfere with a patient's natural immune system, he needs to protect himself consciously from infection after the surgery by taking the following precautions:

• Wash hands often.

• Keep hands away from face and mouth.

• Stay away from people with colds or other infections.

• Ask friends to visit only when they are well.

• If the patient has a wound and must change his own dressing, wash hands before and after.

• Wash hands after coughing or sneezing, and throw tissues into the trash immediately.

• If someone in the patient's family becomes ill with a cold of flu, have that individual follow normal precautions (use separate drinking glasses, covering their mouths when coughing, etc.)

• Avoid working in the soil for 6 months after the transplant. Thereafter, wear gloves.

• Avoid handling animal waste and avoid contact with animals who roam outside. Do not clean bird cages or fish or turtle tanks or cat litter. The cat litter box should be covered and taken out of a patient's home before it is changed.

• Avoid vaccines that consist of live viruses, such as Sabin oral polio, measles, mumps, German measles, yellow fever, or smallpox. The live virus can cause infections. If a patient or any family member intends to receive any vaccinations, they should notify the transplant team or local physician.

SPECIAL WARNING TO PARENTS OF CHILDREN WHO HAVE HAD TRANSPLANTS:
Ask the school nurse or other official to notify you immediately of any communicable diseases (for example, measles, chicken pox) that may be circulating in your school.