Hepatitis C Management

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What is your recommendation for hepatitis B vaccination in chronic HCV-infected patients who are hepatitis B core-antibody positive but hepatitis B surface-antigen/antibody negative?

The presence of anti-HBc cannot be from immunization; instead, it indicates prior infection with hepatitis B. It is almost always true that one infection with hepatitis B confers life-long immunity, even if the anti-HBs titer has fallen. Only under unusual circumstances (such as the development of immune suppression from tumor or tumor treatment) is it possible for such a patient to develop reactivation of hepatitis B. Immunization is not necessary in the case described.

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