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Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B Vaccination Coverage Among Persons Who Inject Drugs and Have Evidence of Hepatitis C

Ruth Koepke1,2, Danielle N Sill1, Wajiha Z Akhtar2

  • 1Wisconsin Division of Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.

Public Health Reports (Washington, D.C. : 1974)
|September 21, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Hepatitis A and B vaccination coverage is low among persons who inject drugs in Wisconsin, leaving many susceptible to infection. Targeted vaccination programs are crucial for this high-risk group.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Vaccinology

Background:

  • Increases in hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections are reported among persons who inject drugs (PWID) in several US states.
  • National recommendations exist for HAV and HBV vaccination for at-risk adults, including PWID.
  • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is common among PWID, making them a key population for vaccination assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate hepatitis A and B vaccination coverage among persons who inject drugs with evidence of HCV infection in Wisconsin.
  • To identify gaps in vaccination coverage according to national recommendations within this population.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of vaccination records from the Wisconsin Immunization Registry.
  • Data linkage between individuals tested for HCV at syringe services programs and their immunization records.
  • Calculation of vaccination percentages for hepatitis A and B based on national guidelines.

Main Results:

  • Of 204 individuals with injection drug use history and HCV testing, only 32.4% received at least one dose of hepatitis A vaccine, and 22.5% completed the two-dose series.
  • Hepatitis B vaccine coverage was 56.4% for the three-dose series, with significantly lower coverage in older age groups (e.g., 30.3% for ages 35-39).
  • A substantial proportion of persons who inject drugs in Wisconsin remain unvaccinated against HAV and HBV.

Conclusions:

  • Most persons who inject drugs in Wisconsin are susceptible to hepatitis A virus infection.
  • A majority of persons aged 35 and older who inject drugs are susceptible to hepatitis B virus infection.
  • Targeted hepatitis vaccination programs for adults who inject drugs are essential to prevent future outbreaks.
Abstract

Keywords:
hepatitis Ahepatitis Bimmunization information systeminjection drug usevaccination coverage

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