title: Is hepatitis A vaccination necessary in Indian patients with cirrhosis of liver?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatitis A vaccine has been recommended for patients with chronic liver disease since they have high mortality following acute hepatitis. This study was done to assess the prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis A virus in Indian patients with liver cirrhosis to determine the relevance of this recommendation in India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive patients with cirrhosis of liver seen at two referral hospitals in southern India were tested for antibodies to hepatitis A virus using EIA. Age-matched non-cirrhotic adults attending the OPD served as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 52 patients (mean [SD] age 57.1 [11.0] years; 33 men) and 50 control subjects (52.0 [14.8] 5 years; 39 men), 51 patients and all the controls tested positive (p=ns).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most patients with liver cirrhosis have antibodies against hepatitis A virus and thus immunization against this infection without screening appears unnecessary in them.
authors.affiliation: Al shifa Hospital, Perintalmanna, Kerala 679 322. xsaju@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Saju
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xavier
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Anish
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies