Vaccination
- To reduce the transmission of Hepatitis B (HBV) among people in at risk groups through pre-exposure/ early post-exposure immunisation
- To advise on where it is appropriate to offer Hepatitis A (HAV) vaccination combined with HBV vaccination where the risk groups overlap
Aims, Risk Groups
Warning
Please note that vaccine dosage and the checking of titres will differ in HIV positive patients. This guidance is for HIV negative individuals only.
It is recommended that anyone found to be cAb positive/sAg negative is informed and should be encouraged to tell their GP as there is a risk of reactivation if they become immunosuppressed.
- People who inject drugs (PWID)*
- Men who have sex with men (MSM)*
- Those involved in the commercial sex industry*
- Individuals having sex with partners from areas of high/ intermediate prevalence+
- HIV positive individuals*
- Sexual partners of individuals with ongoing risk of HBV acquisition
- Sexual contacts of those diagnosed with acute or chronic HBV infection#
- Individuals who have been sexually assaulted in the previous 6 weeks
- Individuals with a high risk sexual exposure within the previous 6 weeks
- Individuals who change sexual partners frequently
*At increased risk of HAV infection, therefore combined HAV/HBV vaccine should be given
+WHO has categorised countries based on the prevalence of Hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg) into countries which are:
- High prevalence (more than 8%): Sub-Saharan Africa, most of Asia and the Pacific Islands.
- Intermediate prevalence (2 to 8%): the Amazon, southern parts of Eastern and Central Europe, the Middle East and the Indian sub-continent
- Low prevalence (less than 2%): most of Western Europe and North America and Australasia
#Any sexual partner of an individual with infectious Hepatitis B should be offered vaccination in addition to Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin (HBIG) if the last sexual contact was within one week.