Active immunization of homosexual men using a recombinant hepatitis B vaccine

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Abstract
Twenty homosexual men [13 anti‐human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐positive, seven anti‐HIV negative] without HBsAg, anti‐HBs, and anti‐HBc were vaccinated with three 20 μg doses of a recombinant hepatitis B vaccine. All anti‐HIV‐positive homosexuals were nonresponders independent of the initial number of CD4‐positive cells. Among seven anti‐HIV‐negative individuals, five responded. After three doses of the vaccine, CD4‐positive cells fell in anti‐HIV positive individuals by 22.4%. A similar fall in CD4‐positive cells of an average 24.9% was noted in 17 matching, but nonvaccinated, anti‐HIV‐positive homosexuals. The study indicates that the efficacy of vaccination in anti‐HIV‐positive individuals is questionable. There is, however, no evidence that vaccination against hepatitis B might be harmful to anti‐HIV‐positive subjects.