Hepatitis B vaccination in preterm infants
Department of
Paediatrics, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Department of Pediatrics,
National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
Correspondence to: Dr Chin-Yun Lee, Department of Paediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, 7 Chung-Shan South Road, Taipei, Taiwan.
Accepted 18 April 1997
AIM
To investigate the immunogenicity and safety
of existing recommendations for hepatitis B vaccination in preterm infants.
METHODSRecombinant hepatitis B vaccine (H-B-VAX
II, 5 µg per dose) was given to 85 preterm infants divided into two
groups, using two different schedules. Forty four group A infants with
birthweights of < 2000 g received three doses at 1, 2, and 7 months of
age. Forty one group B infants with birthweights of 
2000 g received three doses at 0, 1, and 6 months of age.
RESULTSAfter vaccination, 42 infants from group A
(95%) and 37 infants from group B (90%) developed protective levels
of antibody. The final seropositive rate and the geometric mean
concentration of hepatitis B surface antibody between the two groups
were not significantly different. The immune response of preterm
infants to hepatitis B vaccines was similar to that of term infants in a previous study.
CONCLUSIONSPreterm infants can be given hepatitis
B vaccines using one of the above two different schedules, at a cutoff
birthweight of 2000 g.
© 1997 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
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Liver disease
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Immunology (including allergy)
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Drugs: infectious diseases
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Hepatitis and other GI infections
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Vaccination / immunisation
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