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- Title
Hepatitis B transmission event in an English prison and the importance of immunization.
- Authors
Viswanathan, Uma; Beaumont, Amanda; O'Moore, Eamonn; Ramsay, Mary; Tedder, Richard; Ijaz, Samreen; Balogun, Koye; Kirwan, Patrick
- Abstract
Immunization against hepatitis B virus (HBV) is recommended for all sentenced prisoners and all new entrants to prison in the UK. In November 2008, acute hepatitis B was confirmed serologically in a 27-year-old man (Case 1) who had been incarcerated since February 2007. The cell mate of Case 1, a 26-year-old man was an established HBV carrier. A home-made tattoo gun was confiscated from their prison cell. In the absence of other clearly identifiable risk behaviours, tattooing was deemed to be a possible route of HBV transmission. Transmission of hepatitis B in a prison setting is a real concern and this report highlights the importance of immunizing prisoners against hepatitis B and should encourage health professionals to communicate the benefits of immunization to inmates to increase vaccine uptake.
- Publication
Journal of public health (Oxford, England), 2011, Vol 33, Issue 2, p193
- ISSN
1741-3850
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1093/pubmed/fdq083