By Dr Pranab Gyawali, Consultant Gastroenterologist
As a consultant gastroenterologist in Dubai, with over 25 years caring for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis patients, I created this VLOG after seeing a rise in flu cases this season. This article and video are here to highlight the most common infections and how to avoid them.
How common are TB, flu, and pneumonia on treatment?
TB risk: ~0.1–0.2% per year (rare).
Flu risk: ~5–10% per year (common).
Pneumonia risk: ~2–4% per year (common).
Which vaccines matter most?
- Flu vaccine — yearly injection
- Pneumococcal vaccines — PCV13 then PPV23
- Shingrix — two doses (non-live shingles vaccine)
Other vaccines to discuss
Depending on age, location, and personal risk, vaccines may also include hepatitis A, hepatitis B, HPV, and COVID boosters. These should be reviewed with your gastroenterologist.
Recommended Guides:
FMT, Probiotics and Next-Generation Microbiome Therapies
- AI in Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis: Can Machine Learning Predict IBD Treatment Response?
- FMT and infliximab in IBD: could the microbiome help biologics work better?
- Fecal microbiota transplant for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
- Probiotics for Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis: what actually works?
- Probiotics in ulcerative colitis: what does the MB310 trial mean?
- Engineered probiotic for ulcerative colitis 2026
- Probiotics for ulcerative colitis: what actually works?
Gut Microbiome, Diet and Treatment Response
- Diet and microbiome in IBD: how the right bacteria calm gut inflammation
- Gut microbiome in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
- How the Oxygen Trap may be driving your IBD, and why diet still matters
- IBD flare risk, diet and calprotectin
- IBD breakthrough: how gut bacteria unlock natural anti-inflammatories
- Gut microbiome test in Dubai
Crohn’s, Colitis and Biologic Treatment Strategy
- Learn about Biologicals used in UC and Crohn’s in Dubai
- Crohn’s disease specialist care in Dubai
- Ulcerative colitis specialist care in Dubai
- How biologics work in Crohn’s and colitis
- How we choose the right biologic for Crohn’s and UC in Dubai
- New omics research: predicting response to biologics in Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis
Investigations and Procedures
- Colonoscopy for Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis monitoring
- Capsule endoscopy for small bowel Crohn’s disease
- MRI abdomen and MR enterography
- CT abdomen and CT enterography
- Hydrogen and methane breath test for SIBO
If you wish to discuss this further or would like to make an appointment, please use the booking form on this page.