We get vaccinated to protect ourselves, to gain an immunity to a particular disease. But in the case of hepatitis B, celiac patients may come to find out that we are NOT immune—despite having done the right thing in getting a hepatitis B vaccination.
Today, the Gluten Free RN is walking us through the latest research around vaccination and celiac disease. She explores the fact that celiac patients are more likely to be non-responsive to HBV than the general population, explaining the fundamentals of hepatitis B and the two main theories as to why the vaccine doesn’t work for some celiac patients.
Nadine shares her take on immunizations, explaining why she is a proponent of an alternate vaccination schedule for infants who may be immunocompromised. Listen in and learn how to determine whether you are truly immune to hepatitis B and protect yourself from potentially life-threatening disease!
What’s Discussed:
The basics of hepatitis B (HBV)
- Viral infection that attacks liver
- Transmitted through blood, body fluids
The prevalence of hepatitis B
- 257M people infected
- 887K deaths in 2015
The 2013 Italian study around celiac disease and the hepatitis B vaccine
- Number of non-responders to vaccine higher in CD patients
- May be genetic OR caused by gluten intake during vaccination
Nadine’s experience with vaccination as a child
- Contracted mumps despite MMR
Nadine’s take on vaccination
- Advocates for immunization to prevent disease
- Giving babies multiple vaccines at once may not be best
The conclusion of a 2017 Italian study
- Administer booster shots of hepatitis B vaccine as needed
- Evaluate response to vaccine in newly diagnosed celiac patients
- Revaccinate one year after adoption of gluten-free diet
The value of a hepatitis B titer
- Confirms whether really immune
- If not, test for celiac disease
Resources:
‘Vaccinations in Celiac Disease’ in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
‘Immune Response to Vaccines in Children with Celiac Disease’ in the World Journal of Gastroenterology
‘Immune Response to Hepatitis B Vaccine in Patients with Celiac Disease: A Systematic Review and Met-Analysis’ in Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics
‘Early Vaccinations are Not Risk Factors for Celiac Disease’ in Pediatrics
‘Gluten Intake Interferes with the Humoral Immune Response to Recombinant Hepatitis B Vaccine in Patients with Celiac Disease’ in Pediatrics
‘Effect of Pentavac and Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) Vaccination on the Intestine’ in Gut
‘Normal of Defective Immune Response to Hepatitis B Vaccine in Patients with Diabetes and Celiac Disease’ in Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics
Connect with Nadine:
‘Your Skin on Gluten’ on YouTube
Books by Nadine:
Dough Nation: A Nurse’s Memoir of Celiac Disease from Missed Diagnosis to Food and Health Activism
