Hepatitis B transmission event in an English prison and the importance of immunization.
Immunization against hepatitis B virus (HBV) is recommended for all sentenced prisoners and all new entrants to prison in the UK. In November 2008, acute hepatitis B was confirmed serologically in a 27-year-old man (Case 1) who had been incarcerated since February 2007. The cell mate of Case 1, a 26-year-old man was an established HBV carrier. A home-made tattoo gun was confiscated from their prison cell. In the absence of other clearly identifiable risk behaviours, tattooing was deemed to be a possible route of HBV transmission. Transmission of hepatitis B in a prison setting is a real concern and this report highlights the importance of immunizing prisoners against hepatitis B and should encourage health professionals to communicate the benefits of immunization to inmates to increase vaccine uptake.
Public Health, NHS, Walsall WS2 7JL, UK.
Uma
U
Viswanathan
Amanda
A
Beaumont
Eamonn
E
O'Moore
Mary
M
Ramsay
Richard
R
Tedder
Samreen
S
Ijaz
Koye
K
Balogun
Patrick
P
Kirwan
D000328:Adult; D016358:Contact Tracing; D004739:England; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011330:Prisons; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013653:Tattooing / Q000009:adverse effects*
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D007075:Immunoglobulin M