Long term hepatitis B vaccine in infants born to hepatitis B e antigen positive mothers
a Viral Hepatitis
Research Unit Chulalongkorn University Hospital,
Bangkok, Thailand, b Department of Paediatrics, c SmithKline Beecham Biologicals, Rixensart,
Belgium
Correspondence to: Dr Y Poovorawan, Viral Hepatitis Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
Accepted 20 February 1997
Neonates of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive and
hepatitis B encoded antigen (HBeAg) positive mothers received 10 µg
of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine at months 0, 1, 6, or 0, 1, 2, 12, with or without immunoglobulin at birth, and were followed up to the
age of 8 years for HBsAg, anti-HBc, and anti-HBs. Some were boosted at
month 60. The overall vaccine protection at month 12 was 96.2%. No
child became a chronic carrier beyond the age of 3 years, showing that
this vaccine provides immediate protection against HBsAg carriage, and
long term protection against fetally acquired HBsAg. After month 60 hepatitis B serological markers without disease, indicating re-exposure
to HBV, reappeared in comparable numbers among boosted and non-boosted
children (5 for a total of 167 children).
This vaccine provides long term protection against hepatitis
B chronic carriage and infection in high risk neonates with or without
a month 60 booster. A booster at the age of 5-6 years or 11-12 years
would reduce HBV infection, viral circulation and transmission, while
ensuring long term antibody persistence.
© 1997 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
This article has been cited by other articles:
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Lee, C., Gong, Y., Brok, J., Boxall, E. H, Gluud, C.
(2006). Effect of hepatitis B immunisation in newborn infants of mothers positive for hepatitis B surface antigen: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ
332: 328-336
[Abstract] [Full Text]
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