HEPATITIS B VACCINATION IS NOT COMMON AMONG HEPATITIS C INFECTED PATIENTS.

Abstract

Background and Aims:
Co-infection of Hepatitis BVirus (HBV) in patients with Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infected patients worsens the
prognosis. All major guidelines recommend HBV vaccination to all HCV infected patients. We attempted to determine the rate of HBV vaccination in this patient population in our region.
Subjects and Methods: Prospective survey of HCV infected patients attending our Hepatology clinics.
Results: 100 consecutive patients (58 males) attending Hepatology clinic of MMCH were interviewed. Average
age of these patients was 40 years (range 18 – 65 years). Major source of infection was reused disposable syringes (69 patients). Remaining 31 did not know about the likely source of infection. Twenty had a household
member infected with HCV. Twenty were co-infected with HBV. Of all patients interviewed, 85 did not have vaccination against HBV. Of these 85 patients, 25 (29%) did not have the vaccination because of financial reasons,
and 45 (52%) had no awareness about it.
Conclusion: Majority (69%) of HCV infected patients thought they contracted infection through reuse of disposable syringes. A large number (85%) were not vaccinated against HBV, of which 52% had no awareness of it,
whereas 29% said they could not financially afford it.