title: Isolated presence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen in injection drug users: do they need to be vaccinated?
abstract: In a study of 497 injection drug users who had isolated presence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) at the time of enrollment, 404 (81%) retained this condition after a mean of 49 months of follow-up, during which time no new hepatitis B surface antigen marker was detected. These findings support the hypothesis that patients with isolated presence of anti-HBc have strong resistance to reinfection and do not need vaccination.
authors.affiliation: Dependency Medicine Service, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Quaglio
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lugoboni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vento
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lechi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Accordini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bossi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faccini
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mecenero
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pantalena
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Residori
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mezzelani
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines