Revaccination for Hepatitis B in Previous Nonresponders Following Hepatitis C Eradication

Background. Patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) do not respond to hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination as efficiently as the general population. We assessed if revaccination after HCV treatment resulted in improved response. Methods. Previous HBV vaccine nonresponders were prospectively recruited for revaccination after HCV eradication. Hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) testing was performed 1 month after series completion. Results. Follow-up HBsAb testing was performed in 31 of 34 enrolled patients with 21 (67.7%) reactive results. There were no significant differences in HBsAb reactivity based on age, sex, race, or advanced fibrosis presence. Conclusions. HBV vaccine nonresponders should be considered for revaccination following HCV cure.