Response to hepatitis-B vaccination in healthy homosexual individuals: retrospective case control study.

The aim of the study was to compare the responses of homosexual men (HM) receiving a standard course of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine with those of healthcare workers vaccinated in the same hospital over the same period. Boosters for inadequate responders and repeat courses for non-responders were given. Forty of 61 (75.4%) of HM completing full follow-up were successfully vaccinated, compared with 128 of 129 (99.2%) female and 94 of 96 (97.9%) male health care workers (P<0.001). The response to hepatitis-B vaccination in healthy homosexual men is poor and significantly lower than healthcare workers vaccinated and followed up according to the same protocol.