Question
Shall I wait for my CD4 count to rise, before I repeat the Hep B vaccine?
23 June 2009. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Complications and coinfections.
How important it is to get an Hep B vaccine? I was advised to do the vaccine when I was diagnosed 3 years ago and after the 3 jabs and one extra booster the level of protection is only 13%. My CD4 is 210 and my doctor wants to change vaccine and start all over again. Is it true that the lower the CD4, the harder it is to get a full protection? Should I wait to repeat the vaccine until my CD4 count is higher? Please advise and thank you.
Answer
In 2006 in the UK Hep B was found in 6-10% of the HIV-positive people (Rockstroh J, Konopnicki D, Soriano V et al; Eurosida). However, recently there are trends of increase. In particular risk are the groups of injecting drug users and gay men.
The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is transmitted through sexual intercourse, blood-blood contact and infected body ?uids, and vertically from mother to child. The incubation period of hepatitis B is usually 90 days (range 40
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