• L Borg, E Khuri, A Wells, D Melia, N V Bergasa, A Ho, and M J Kreek.
• Rockefeller University, Laboratory on the Biology of Addictive Diseases, New York, NY 10021, USA. borgl@rockvax.rockefeller.edu
• Addiction. 1999 Apr 1;94(4):489-93.

AimsTo study the efficacy of standard hepatitis B (HB) vaccination in methadone-maintained former intravenous drug users.DesignHB vaccine was administered to subjects at 0, 1 and 6 months.SettingTwo university-affiliated methadone maintenance clinics.ParticipantsForty-three HB-unexposed former heroin addicts in methadone maintenance treatment for heroin addiction.MeasurementsHB surface antibody (anti-HBs) response to the vaccine was assessed at 0, 1, 6 and > or = 12 months; anti-HIV-1 status was also assessed.FindingsThirty-seven patients (86%) completed the 6-month vaccination series. Of the 30 anti-HIV-1 seronegative patients who then completed the entire 12-month protocol, 21 (70%) seroconverted (anti-HBs ratio > 2.1) and 19 (63%) were protected (anti-HBs ratio > 10). Two other subjects were anti-HIV-1 seropositive: one was HB-protected at 12 months but later lost immunity. Ten anti-hepatitis C antibody-positive patients completed the 12-month study and six were protected; thus, there was no significant relationship between hepatitis C status and HB vaccine response.ConclusionsStandard HB vaccination is both feasible and effective.

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