Skip to main content

People Infected With Hepatitis C May Need the Hepatitis B Shot

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Sept. 11, 2023 -- Patients with hepatitis C should consider being vaccinated again for hepatitis B, because their immune response to the initial shot may be inadequate, a new study suggests.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School urge those who have hepatitis C to be checked for hepatitis B immune protection. If none is present, they should get the vaccine again after treating hepatitis C.

Previous research had shown that individuals with hepatitis C infection had a lower response to the hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine.

“This study has broad implications for public health in hepatitis-infected individuals,” Dr. Jose Debes, an associate professor in the schools of medicine and public health, said in a university news release. “It is known that the hepatitis B vaccine is not as effective in those with hepatitis C. What was not known until now is that after treating hepatitis C the hepatitis B vaccine seems to be more effective in this population. This is important, as many of these individuals are still at risk for hepatitis B infection.”

A blood-borne virus causes hepatitis C, leading to inflammation of the liver. About 58 million people worldwide have the condition, with 1.5 million new infections each year.

No effective vaccine exists for hepatitis C.

Hepatitis B is a liver infection that can be prevented with the HBV vaccine.

To study the impact of the hepatitis B vaccine on these hepatitis C patients, researchers worked with 34 patients who previously did not respond to the HBV vaccine. They were tested for hepatitis B antibodies.

The study found that after treatment of their hepatitis C, this group had an improved response to revaccination against hepatitis B.

Having both hepatitis B and C together raises the risk of severe issues like liver cirrhosis or cancer. Getting both infections is common and risky in certain areas.

More research is needed in a larger group to assess the best time for re-vaccination and further understand the involved immune pathways, the authors said.

Study findings were recently published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Sources

  • University of Minnesota Medical School, news release, Sept. 7, 2023

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted September 2023

Read this next

Even Skipping Meat for One Meal Helps Liver Disease Patients

FRIDAY, May 3, 2024 -- Advanced liver cirrhosis can push levels of ammonia in the blood to hazardous levels, but skipping meat at mealtime can help reverse that, new research...

MRNA Vaccine Fights Deadly Brain Tumor in Small Trial

THURSDAY, May 2, 2024 -- An experimental cancer vaccine can quickly reprogram a person’s immune system to attack glioblastoma, the most aggressive and lethal form of brain...

School Entry Rules Boost Kids' HPV Vaccination Rates

WEDNESDAY, May 1, 2024 -- Getting the HPV shot in adolescence can spare kids a lifetime of risk for cervical and other cancers related to the virus, but only half of American kids...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.