THE EUROPEAN RESEARCH JOURNAL, cilt.8, sa.1, ss.31-36, 2022 (Hakemli Dergi)
Objectives: Prevention of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is necessary for patients with human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV), since co-infection is associated with increased in mortality. The aim of this
study was to investigate response to double-dose HBV vaccine in patients with HIV.
Methods: A total of 149 patients with HIV were retrospectively evaluated. Sixty-eight patients who were HBV
seronegative and administered double-dose HBV vaccine were included in the study. According to anti HBs
levels, patients were evaluated in three groups: < 10 mIU/mL, 10-100 mIU/mL and ≥ 100 mIU/mL. Age, sex,
transmission route, smoking, alcohol-substance abuse, comorbidities, CD4+ T cells counts and HIV viral load
were compared in three groups.
Results: The rate of response to HBV vaccination (anti HBs ≥ 10 mIU/mL) was 69.1%. Age was statistically
significantly higher in the anti HBs < 100 mIU/mL group than in the anti HBs >100 mIU/mL group. The level
of anti HBs was statistically significantly lower in patients with a CD4+ T cell count < 200 cells/μL (< 100
mIU/mL).
Conclusions: The use of high-dose vaccine is a necessity as well as revaccination to improve vaccine
immunogenicity in patients with HIV. In our study, low CD4+ T lymphocyte count and older age were found
to have a negative effect on vaccine response.
Keywords: HIV, HBV, co-infection, HBV vaccination, response