Routine hepatitis B vaccination in a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases.
Patients were assigned to one of two vaccine schedules to assess the feasibility of vaccinating a sexually transmitted disease clinic population against hepatitis B virus. Of 1386 patients entering an inner-city clinic between June and July 1990, 611 (44%) accepted a first dose of vaccine. Twenty-one percent of all susceptible patients received at least two doses of vaccine. Annualizing these findings shows that an ongoing program could prevent 636 hepatitis B virus infections per year. Although a significant proportion of sexually transmitted disease clinic patients can be successfully vaccinated, strategies for preventing hepatitis B virus infections in this high-risk population must consider patient behavior as well as vaccine efficacy.
Weinstock
H S
HS
Division of STD/HIV Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Ga 30333, USA.
Bolan
G
G
Moran
J S
JS
Peterman
T A
TA
Polish
L
L
Reingold
A L
AL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D014611:Vaccination