Acute hepatitis A infection after hepatitis A immunity in a HIV-positive individual

A Randomized Clinical Trial of 1-Dose vs Accelerated 2-Dose Schedule for Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) Revaccination Among People With Human Immunodeficiency Virus Who Were Nonresponders or Had Seroreversion After Primary HAV Vaccination

BACKGROUND

For people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH) who have no serological responses to their primary hepatitis A virus (HAV) vaccination or have seroreversion after successful primary vaccination, the optimal revaccination strategy remains unclear.

METHODS

In this open-label, randomized clinical trial, PWH who tested negative for anti-HAV antibodies after receiving a standard 2-dose series of primary HAV vaccination were enrolled and assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either 1 dose (the 1-dose group) or 2 doses of HAV vaccine administered 4 weeks apart (the 2-dose group). Serological response rates and anti-HAV antibody titers were compared at weeks 24 and 48.

RESULTS

Of the 153 participants (77 in the 1-dose group and 76 in the 2-dose group), the overall serological response rates at week 48 after revaccination were similar between the 2 groups (2- vs 1-dose, 80.2% vs 71.4%, P = .20). However, anti-HAV antibody titers were consistently higher in the 2-dose group than in the 1-dose group. In subgroup analysis, PWH who were nonresponders to primary HAV vaccination were significantly more likely to mount a serological response after 2-dose HAV revaccination (68.4% vs 44.1%, P = .038). No severe adverse events were reported throughout the study.

CONCLUSIONS

Two-dose HAV revaccination administered 4 weeks apart yielded similar serological responses as 1-dose revaccination among PWH who were nonresponders or had seroreversion after primary HAV vaccination. The 2-dose revaccination schedule generated significantly higher anti-HAV antibody titers and was more likely to elicit serological responses at week 48 among PWH who were nonresponders to primary HAV vaccination. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT03855176.

Hepatitis A virus infection in an HIV-positive man with previously confirmed immunity against hepatitis A virus

A Japanese man with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was detected 9 years ago to have a positive titer for hepatitis A virus (HAV) immunoglobulin (Ig) G, without a history of HAV infection or vaccination. His plasma HIV RNA was well-controlled on antiretroviral therapy for more than 6 years. He developed HAV infection with subsequent reduction of the HAV IgG titer. A decreasing HAV IgG in persons living with HIV might indicate the possibility of HAV reinfection and should prompt the consideration for additional vaccination.

Early Seroreversion After 2 Doses of Hepatitis A Vaccination in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Positive Patients: Incidence and Associated Factors

Serological responses (Seroresponse) and durability of hepatitis A virus (HAV) vaccination are reduced among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients. Incidence of and associated factors with early seroreversion (loss of seroresponse) among HIV-positive patients who have achieved seroresponses after two doses of HAV vaccination remain unclear. In this multicenter study, we followed HIV-positive adults who had mounted seroresponses after completing two doses of HAV vaccination during a recent outbreak of acute hepatitis A between 2015 and 2017, a 1:4 case-control study was conducted to identify factors associated with seroreversion. Case patients were those with seroreversion, and controls were those with similar follow-up durations who were able to maintain seroresponses. During the study period, 49 of the 1,256 patients (3.9%) seroreverted after a median follow-up of 611 days. In a case-control study, seroreversion was more likely to occur in patients with a higher weight (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.703; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.292-2.323, per 10-kg increment) and HIV viremia at the time of vaccination (aOR, 2.922; 95% CI, 1.067-7.924), whereas positive seroresponse at 6 months of HAV vaccination and higher CD4 lymphocyte counts at vaccination were inversely associated with early seroreversion with an aOR of 0.059 (95% CI, 0.020-0.154) and 0.837 (95% CI, 0.704-0.979, per 100-cell/mm³ increment), respectively, in multivariable analyses. Conclusion: During an outbreak setting, early seroreversion following two-dose HAV vaccination occurred in 3.9% of HIV-positive patients. Lower and delayed seroresponses to HAV vaccination, a higher weight, and HIV viremia and lower CD4 lymphocyte counts at the time of HAV vaccination were associated with early seroreversion. Regular monitoring of seroresponse and booster vaccination might be warranted, especially in HIV-positive adults with predictors of early seroreversion.