Hepatitis B vaccination in clients attending for opiate replacement therapy: Opportunism is key

摘要

Sir—Over 40% of acute hepatitis B infections are acquired when injecting drug users (IDU) share equipment [1]. A safe and effective vaccine against hepatitis B is available and, when administered to IDUs in Western Australia, the cost is met by the Department of Health [1]. Despite this, hepatitis B vaccination rates in IDUs are lower than in the general population, with studies suggesting that only between 19% and 37% of IDUs have evidence of vaccine-induced immunity [2-4].