Clinical

Hepatitis A vaccine effective in children with HIV

Last Updated: 2005-08-05 14:27:19 -0400 (Reuters Health)

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Vaccination against hepatitis A using two intramuscular doses of Havrix (Glaxo SmithKline Beecham) is immunogenic and well tolerated in children with HIV infection, Brazilian researchers report in the August 15th issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Dr. Regina C. M. Succi and colleagues at the Federal University of Sao Paulo note that although hepatitis A vaccination is recommended in children living in regions with an elevated rate of the disease, nothing is known about the response of children with vertically acquired HIV infection.

To investigate, the researchers studied 32 children with HIV infection, but without immunosuppression or severe symptoms, and 27 children with seroreversion. All were from Sao Paulo, a city with an estimated hepatitis A prevalence in the general population of more than 66%.

After two doses of the vaccine, all of the children experienced seroconversion. The injections were well tolerated. There were few adverse advents, with an incidence similar to that seen in studies of healthy children.

There were no differences in viral load variation between the vaccinated children with HIV infection and a similar group who were not vaccinated.

Dr. Succi told Reuters Health that because HIV- infected children "without severe symptoms or immune suppression can respond to hepatitis A vaccine as well as non-HIV-infected children, we would recommend hepatitis A vaccination of HIV- infected children who live in areas with high and medium prevalence of hepatitis A infection."

Clin Infect Dis 2005;41:544-548.