The response to hepatitis B vaccine: does it differ in celiac disease?

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Vaccinology
• Genetics

Background:

• Hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine nonresponsiveness is linked to specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotypes.
• Celiac disease (CD) is an HLA-associated autoimmune disorder.
• Shared HLA haplotypes may link CD to HBV vaccine nonresponse.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively assess HBV vaccine response in children with CD.
• To investigate the association between CD and HBV vaccine nonresponse.
• To explore the role of shared HLA haplotypes in this association.

Main Methods:

• Serological evaluation of anti-HBs status in 63 CD patients and 54 healthy children.
• Prospective HBV vaccination and reevaluation in anti-HBs negative CD children.
• HLA genotyping in a subgroup of patients and controls.

Main Results:

• At enrollment, 67.5% of CD children and 85.2% of controls were anti-HBs positive (P<0.05).
• Prospective vaccination showed a high response rate (96.4%) in CD patients, with only 3.6% nonresponse.
• No significant relationship was found between HLA type and vaccine nonresponse in the study cohort.

Conclusions:

• HBV vaccine response in compliant CD children is comparable to the healthy population.
• CD may be associated with transient HBV vaccine nonresponsiveness, potentially reversible with strict gluten-free diet adherence.
• Gluten-free diet compliance may improve HBV vaccine immunogenicity in celiac children.