Drug Database: Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B (Recombinant) Vaccine

What is Twinrix?

Twinrix is a vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent hepatitis A virus infection (HAV) and hepatitis B virus infection (HBV) in adults 18 years of age and older. HAV and HBV are opportunistic infections (OIs) of HIV. An OI is an infection that occurs more frequently or is more severe in people with weakened immune systems—such as people with HIV—than in people with healthy immune systems. To learn more about OIs, read the HIVinfo What is an Opportunistic Infection? fact sheet. To learn how HIV and HBV are connected, read the HIVinfo HIV and Hepatitis B fact sheet.

The Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in HIV-Infected Adults and Adolescents include recommendations on the use of Twinrix in people with HIV.

What should I tell my health care provider before receiving Twinrix?

Before receiving Twinrix, tell your health care provider: 

• If you are allergic to yeast or any other ingredients in Twinrix, latex, or any medicines. Tell your health care provider if you have ever had any reactions to a previous dose of the vaccine or to any other HAV and HBV vaccines.
• About any medical conditions you have or have had, for example, diabetes or liver problems.
• If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Whether Twinrix can harm an unborn baby is unknown. Talk to your health care provider about possible risks with taking Twinrix when pregnant.
• If you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you have HIV.
• About other prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Twinrix may affect the way other medicines or products work, and other medicines or products may affect how Twinrix works. Ask your health care provider if there are interactions between Twinrix and the medicines you take.

Ask your health care provider about possible side effects from Twinrix. Your health care provider will tell you what to do if you have side effects.

How is Twinrix given?

A health care provider gives the Twinrix vaccine. The vaccine is injected into a muscle in the arm. Vaccination with Twinrix is usually given as a series of either three or four vaccine shots over a 6- to 12-month period. Read any printed information that your health care provider gives you about the HAV and HBV (recombinant) vaccine (Twinrix).

Where can I find more information about Twinrix?

More information about the HAV and HBV (recombinant) vaccine (Twinrix) is available:

• Recommendations on the use of the HAV and HBV (recombinant) vaccine (Twinrix) in people with HIV, from the Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in HIV-Infected Adults and Adolescents, prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the HIV Medicine Association of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
• Research studies related to the HAV and HBV (recombinant) vaccine (Twinrix), from ClinicalTrials.gov