Hepatitis B testing and vaccination in patients recently diagnosed with HIV infection

The British HIV Association currently recommends vaccination against hepatitis B virus (HBV) for all susceptible HIV-infected individuals, therefore a retrospective analysis was performed on case notes from all patients diagnosed with HIV infection in our department for a one-year period from 1st August 2005; in each case HBV serological testing and vaccination status were recorded. Fifty-one patients were diagnosed with HIV infection during the study period, however, serological testing for HBV infection had been undertaken in only 76% of susceptible patients by 12 months following their HIV diagnosis. At the time of analysis only 31% of patients were adequately vaccinated against HBV, with recorded HBV surface antibody titres of >100 IU/L. HBV remains a considerable cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected individuals and this study suggests that prevention or detection of HBV infection requires increased vigilance on the part of physicians managing HIV-positive patients.