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Spleen Australia

For healthcare providers

Medical recommendations

For guidance tailored to your patient population, select from the resources below: 

  • Adult recommendations includes vaccination schedules and antibiotic prophylaxis guidance for adult patients.
  • Paediatric recommendations includes age-specific guidance for paediatric patients without a functioning spleen. 
  • Embolisation recommendations includes guidance specific to patients undergoing or who have undergone Splenic Artery Embolisation (SAE).
  • Patient letter is a downloadable letter for patients to carry, explaining their condition and care needs to other treating clinicians. 

You can download the recommendations as a PDF with the buttons below.

Adult recommendations (pdf-456KB) Paediatric recommendations (pdf-460KB) Embolisation recommendations (pdf-262KB) Patient letter

Working together to support patients 

Clinicians play a critical role in ensuring spleen community members understand this risk and are equipped with up-to-date, evidence-based protection.

This page brings together the current recommendations on vaccination and antibiotic prophylaxis to support you in providing consistent, best-practice care. 

As recommendations may change over time, regularly review current guidelines and continue discussing prevention strategies with patients at every appropriate opportunity.

If you require clarification on the guidelines or support in responding to patient enquiries, please don't hesitate to contact us

For further information contact Spleen Australia.
Phone: Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia – (03) 9076 3828
Queensland - 1800 SPLEEN (1800 775 336)
Email: spleenaustralia@alfred.org.au

Not in a funded Spleen Australia state?

While Spleen Australia services is not currently funded to provide services in ACT, NSW, NT or SA, all visitors are welcome to access the information and resources available on this website. 

Clinician's checklist - A quick reference to use at patient review

  • Register your patient with Spleen Australia
  • Check the latest Spleen Australia medical recommendations (see above)
  • Reinforce with the patient the signs and symptoms of infection, and when to seek urgent medical care
  • Ensure correct doses and timing of pneumococcal, meningococcal, and Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccines have been administered
  • Prescribe daily prophylactic antibiotics if required
  • Ensure the patient has an emergency supply of antibiotics and understands when and how to take it
  • Check patient is up to date with annual influenza vaccine and consider shingles, RSV and covid based on eligibility.