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Let It “B”? The Role of Hepatitis B Universal Vaccination among Italian Problematic Drug Users

Author

Listed:
  • Fabio Lugoboni

    (Department of Internal Medicine, Addiction Unit, Verona University Hospital, Verona 37134, Italy)

  • Raimondo Maria Pavarin

    (Department of mental health and addictions, Epidemiological Observatory on Pathological Addictions, Bologna 40121, Italy)

  • Chiara Resentera

    (Department of Internal Medicine, Addiction Unit, Verona University Hospital, Verona 37134, Italy)

  • Daniele Gambini

    (Department of mental health and addictions, Addiction Clinic, Bologna 40121, Italy)

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) hepatitis is extremely common among problematic drug users (DUs). As of 2012, 47 of the 53 European countries had implemented a universal hepatitis B vaccination programme, a scenario that could radically change its spread. Even so, drug users are still one of the main groups at risk of being infected by HBV, exposing the fact that universal vaccination still has not managed to reach an optimal level of contagion protection. In order to evaluate the role of universal HBV vaccination in protecting against risk behaviour related to the use of illicit drugs, a group of 748 DUs, 511 male and 237 female, was tested for HBV markers, at their first access to public addiction clinics in the metropolitan area of Bologna, Italy. 487 were born after 1981, so they were eligible to have received HBV vaccination in adolescence or at birth; in these subjects antibodies against HBV core antigen had the significant prevalence of 6.2%. Universal HBV vaccination has shown evidence of protecting against infection in the general population. These results, amongst the first to evaluate actual protection in DUs vaccinated at birth or during adolescence, show that compulsory universal vaccination does not solve the problem of HBV transmission in the most at risk groups and that additional strategies must be studied and implemented to address this issue.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabio Lugoboni & Raimondo Maria Pavarin & Chiara Resentera & Daniele Gambini, 2015. "Let It “B”? The Role of Hepatitis B Universal Vaccination among Italian Problematic Drug Users," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-14, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:12:y:2015:i:4:p:3979-3992:d:48037
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fabio Lugoboni & Gianluca Quaglio & Paolo Civitelli & Paolo Mezzelani, 2009. "Bloodborne Viral Hepatitis Infections among Drug Users: The Role of Vaccination," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-14, January.
    2. Luman, E.T. & Barker, L.E. & McCauley, M.M. & Drews-Botsch, C., 2005. "Timeliness of childhood immunizations: A state-specific analysis," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 95(8), pages 1367-1374.
    3. Des Jarlais, D.C. & Fisher, D.G. & Newman, J.C. & Trubatch, B.N. & Yancovitz, M. & Paone, D. & Perlman, D., 2001. "Providing hepatitis B vaccination to injection drug users: Referral to health clinics vs on-site vaccination at a syringe exchange program," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 91(11), pages 1791-1792.
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    1. Fabio Lugoboni & Gianluca Quaglio & Paolo Civitelli & Paolo Mezzelani, 2009. "Bloodborne Viral Hepatitis Infections among Drug Users: The Role of Vaccination," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-14, January.
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