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Missed Opportunities for Hepatitis A Vaccination Among MSM Initiating PrEP

Journal of Community Health volume 45, pages 506–509 (2020)Cite this article

Abstract

The incidence of Hepatitis A virus (HAV) among the general population in the United States has decreased by over 95% since the introduction of HAV vaccination in 1995. However, 10% of all new HAV infections occur among men who have sex with men (MSM). However routine HAV is not part of standard of care for provision of PrEP services. Retrospective cohort analysis of MSM assessed for HIV prevention services between 1/1/2016 and 6/30/2017 to evaluate the rates of screening for anti-HAV seroprevalence and subsequent vaccination. HAV IgG was drawn on 96% (96/100) of the patients with 58% (56/96) of patients demonstrating serologic immunity. Of the 40 patients without evidence of immunity, 77% (29/40) returned for a subsequent visit, 48% (14/29) were provided HAV vaccination, and 29% (4/14) received at least two doses. Only 35% (14/40) of patients without documented immunity received HAV vaccination. Visits for PrEP initiation and monitoring in MSM patients are potential opportunities for ensuring HAV vaccination among this high-risk patient population. Public health agencies could optimize HAV vaccination of the high risk MSM by incorporating HAV screening into national PrEP guidelines.

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Funding

Dr. Zucker is supported by the training grant “Training in Pediatric Infectious Diseases” (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases T32AI007531)

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Affiliations

  1. Mailman School of Public Health and Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 720 West 170th Street, New York, NY, USA

    Alwyn Cohall

  2. Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Divisions of Infectious Diseases, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    Jason Zucker

  3. Boston, MA, USA

    Rachel Krieger

  4. Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Charlotte Scott

  5. St. Luke’s Hospital, 720 West 170th Street, New York, NY, USA

    Caryn Guido

  6. Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Shaina Hakala

  7. New York Presbyterian Hospital’s Comprehensive Health Center, 720 West 170th Street, New York, NY, USA

    Caroline Carnevale

Authors
  1. Alwyn Cohall
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  2. Jason Zucker
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  3. Rachel Krieger
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  4. Charlotte Scott
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  5. Caryn Guido
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  6. Shaina Hakala
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  7. Caroline Carnevale
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jason Zucker.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This study was approved by the Columbia University Medical Campus Institutional Review Board. As no identifying information was used informed consent was not obtained.

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Cohall, A., Zucker, J., Krieger, R. et al. Missed Opportunities for Hepatitis A Vaccination Among MSM Initiating PrEP. J Community Health 45, 506–509 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-019-00768-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-019-00768-w

Keywords

  • Hepatitis A
  • Vaccination
  • MSM
  • Sexual health