Immunoresponse to hepatitis B vaccination and adherence campaign among injecting drug users

Fifty injecting drug users (ID Us) were recruited to evaluate the efficacy of an hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination campaign to be carried out in a Public centre for Drug Users (PCDU). The vaccination schedule was successfully performed in most patients, who showed a great interest in this problem. After three doses of vaccine the seroconversion rate, with antibodies against HBV, proved similar to the one obtained in another group of healthy men of same age, while the antibody titres against HBV were lower after the second and third dose of vaccine. Vaccination campaigns for ID Us could lead to successful results in terms of compliance and efficacy, but they need to be closely monitored considering the IDUs relatively low antibody response. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.