Aims, Risk Groups

Aims

• To reduce the transmission of Hepatitis B (HBV) among people in at risk groups through pre-exposure/ early post-exposure immunisation
• To advise on where it is appropriate to offer Hepatitis A (HAV) vaccination combined with HBV vaccination where the risk groups overlap

• People who inject drugs (PWID)*
• Men who have sex with men (MSM)*
• Those involved in the commercial sex industry*
• Individuals having sex with partners from areas of high/ intermediate prevalence+
• HIV positive individuals*
• Sexual partners of individuals with ongoing risk of HBV acquisition
• Sexual contacts of those diagnosed with acute or chronic HBV infection#
• Individuals who have been sexually assaulted in the previous 6 weeks
• Individuals with a high risk sexual exposure within the previous 6 weeks
• Individuals who change sexual partners frequently

*At increased risk of HAV infection, therefore combined HAV/HBV vaccine should be given

+ WHO has categorised countries based on the prevalence of Hepatitis B surface Antigen  (HBsAg) into countries which are:

• High prevalence (more than 8%): Sub-Saharan Africa, most of Asia and the Pacific Islands.
• Intermediate prevalence (2 to 8%): The Amazon, southern parts of Eastern and Central Europe, the Middle East and the Indian sub-continent
• Low prevalence (less than 2%): Most of Western Europe and North America and Australasia

#Any sexual partner of an individual with infectious Hepatitis B should be offered vaccination in
addition to Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin (HBIG) if the last sexual contact was within one week.