title: Prevalence and Immunization Status of Hepatitis B Virus in the HIV Cohort in Fife, Scotland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Routes of transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV)/HIV infections are similar and there is a significant rate of co-infection in patients. A study was recently carried out in NHS Fife, Scotland from February 2007 - February 2008 to estimate the prevalence of HBV/HIV co-infection, occult HBV infection and immunisation status against HBV in a cohort of patients with HIV attending the departments of infectious diseases and genitourinary medicine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case notes were reviewed retrospectively (n = 70). Details on patient demographics, risk category, nadir/current CD4 count, HIV viral load and vaccination history were analysed. HBV markers (HBsAg/anti-HBs/anti-HBc/HBV DNA) and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels were tested prospectively if these tests had not been carried out in the previous 12 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevalence of HBV/HIV co-infection was 5.6% of which 2.8% of patients had occult infection and 22.9% had evidence of previous exposure. Although HBV is preventable by vaccination, only 24.2% of patients had been vaccinated against it. Improvements could therefore be made in the field of prevention with vaccination and monitoring the immune response in this cohort.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Prevalence; Immunization status; Hepatitis B Virus; HIV.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Unit, Victoria Hospital (NHS Fife), Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Lukman
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hakeem
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.forename: Eleanor
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McCleary
authors.forename: Diptendu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bhattacharyya
authors.forename: Indranil
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Banerjee