Can Hepatitis B Vaccine Be Given to Immune Compromised People?
Yes, however larger vaccine doses or an increased number of doses are required to induce protective antibody in a high proportion of hemodialysis patients and also might be necessary for other immune compromised people (e.g., those who take immunosuppressive drugs or who have AIDS). For immune compromised people, it is important that post vaccination testing, using the anti-HBs test, be done one to two months after the last dose of vaccine to check that the vaccine worked. In addition, immune compromised people need periodic testing and possibly booster doses of hepatitis B vaccine to assure that anti-HBs is still adequate.
