I am 65 years old and have been living with hepatitis C for 30 years. What vaccines are recommended to avoid concomitant infections that can worsen my condition?
Dear reader,
all patients with chronic liver disease, whether infectious (as in your case) or other aetiology, should undergo hepatitis B vaccination if they are not already positive for antibodies. In fact, in a context of pre-existing disease, an acute infection with the HBV virus can present itself with more severe symptoms and have important repercussions on the liver. Furthermore, particularly in cases where the liver disease has evolved towards cirrhosis, the hepatologist can recommend vaccination for hepatitis A. Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infections are not frequent in Italy today compared to other countries; however, people with chronic liver disease who become infected are more at risk of serious consequences.
Why don’t we have a hepatitis C vaccine yet?
Other recommended vaccinations are the one against the Sars-Cov-2 coronavirus, especially in the case of cirrhotic liver, with any type of vaccine. In this regard, the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver (AISF) has produced a document with recommendations relating to anti-Covid vaccinations. Finally, since all patients with chronic liver disease in the case of infections risk more severe complications than the healthy population, it is also advisable to carry out the annual anti-influenza vaccination and the anti-pneumococcal vaccination, especially in the presence of cirrhosis of the liver.
Vaccinations in adults
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*Vincenza Calvaruso is Aisf Secretary – Italian Association for the Study of the Liver.