Vaccination Strategies for Protecting Patients with Chronic Liver Disease: Focus on Hepatitis A, B, Pneumococcal, and Influenza

Background: Even in countries with far superior health resources, the immunization rate for vulnerable populations, such as those with chronic liver disease, is still below ideal despite the strong recommendations. Although the issue is worse in nations with fewer resources than ours, there is still a dearth of information regarding the immunization rate in our community. The study was designed as a result which aimed to determine the frequency of hepatitis A, B, pneumococcal and influenza vaccination among chronic liver disease patients. Materials and methods: This cross sectional study was conducted at the department of Medicine, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar during the period 01-08-2024 to 31-01-2025. A total of 246 male and female patients aging 20 to 60 years diagnosed with chronic liver disease were enrolled and evaluated for hepatitis A and B, pneumococcal and influenza vaccination. Vaccination status was confirmed through history taking and medical record assessment. Results: Mean age of the participants was 42.06±10.09 years, mean BMI was 24.008±2.64 kg/m2 and mean illness duration was 33.59±5.301 months. Participants aging more than 40 years were 139 (56.5%), and 157 patients (63.8%) were male. HCV and HBV constituted the most prevalent etiology of CLD recorded in 90 (36.6%), 98 (39.8%) participants. Hepatitis B vaccination was most prevalent recorded in 84 patients (34.1%) followed by hepatitis A (n = 77, 31.3%) and pneumococcal in 55 (22.4%). Influenza was least common recorded in 54 patients (22.0%). Conclusion: Comprehensive vaccination against preventable disease in chronic liver disease patients is lacking. Vaccination against hepatitis B virus was most common followed by hepatitis A.