Hepatitis A vaccination in patients with chronic liver disease in Taiwan.
While hepatitis A infection is rarely fatal, mortality is age-dependent, suggesting that cofactors may play a role in disease expression. The safety and immunogenicity of an inactivated hepatitis A vaccine was evaluated in a study involving 60 patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) (56 patients with chronic hepatitis B, and four patients with chronic hepatitis C). A two-dose schedule, at 0 and 6 months, produced 100% seroconversion. All individuals remained seropositive for 12 months, the majority maintaining high levels of antibody during a 5-year follow-up period. The inactivated hepatitis A vaccine was found to be well tolerated and immunogenic in patients with CLD. However, the immune response generated was inferior to that observed in healthy individuals, indicating the need for a higher dose, and the two-dose schedule to ensure adequate protection.
Lee
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Department of Medicine, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, and National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006507:Hepatovirus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000502:physiology; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013785:Thailand; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods*; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines