Universal immunization of infants with low doses of a low-cost, plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine in South Africa
OBJETIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of universal vaccination against viral hepatitis B in South Africa among 18-month-old rural children. METHODS: Children were immunized with a course of low-dose (1.5 mug), plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine at 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age, and blood samples from...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The World Health Organization
2002-01-01
|
| Series: | Bulletin of the World Health Organization |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862002000400005 |
| _version_ | 1797282988482887680 |
|---|---|
| author | Schoub B.D. Matai U. Singh B. Blackburn N.K. Levin J.B. |
| author_facet | Schoub B.D. Matai U. Singh B. Blackburn N.K. Levin J.B. |
| author_sort | Schoub B.D. |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | OBJETIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of universal vaccination against viral hepatitis B in South Africa among 18-month-old rural children. METHODS: Children were immunized with a course of low-dose (1.5 mug), plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine at 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age, and blood samples from the children were tested for three hepatitis B markers: hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-HBs and anti-HBc. FINDINGS: One year after vaccination, a protective anti-HBs antibody titre of at least 10 IU/l was present in 669/769 (87.0%) of blood serum samples tested. Only 3/756 children (0.4%) were HBsAg positive and a fourth child was anti-HBc positive (HBsAg negative). This is a marked decrease compared to the hepatitis B prevalences reported in previous studies. Among rural migrant mine-workers, for example, HBsAg prevalence was 9.9%, and was 10.1% among children 0-6 years of age in the Eastern Cape Province. CONCLUSION: The low-dose, plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine, which is affordable to most developing countries, was very successful in controlling endemic hepatitis B infection, where the virus is predominantly spread by horizontal transmission among infants and young children. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T17:22:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b43554d0126a4594813ea30146427d83 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0042-9686 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T17:22:26Z |
| publishDate | 2002-01-01 |
| publisher | The World Health Organization |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Bulletin of the World Health Organization |
| spelling | doaj.art-b43554d0126a4594813ea30146427d832024-03-02T19:43:53ZengThe World Health OrganizationBulletin of the World Health Organization0042-96862002-01-01804277281Universal immunization of infants with low doses of a low-cost, plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine in South AfricaSchoub B.D.Matai U.Singh B.Blackburn N.K.Levin J.B.OBJETIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of universal vaccination against viral hepatitis B in South Africa among 18-month-old rural children. METHODS: Children were immunized with a course of low-dose (1.5 mug), plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine at 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age, and blood samples from the children were tested for three hepatitis B markers: hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-HBs and anti-HBc. FINDINGS: One year after vaccination, a protective anti-HBs antibody titre of at least 10 IU/l was present in 669/769 (87.0%) of blood serum samples tested. Only 3/756 children (0.4%) were HBsAg positive and a fourth child was anti-HBc positive (HBsAg negative). This is a marked decrease compared to the hepatitis B prevalences reported in previous studies. Among rural migrant mine-workers, for example, HBsAg prevalence was 9.9%, and was 10.1% among children 0-6 years of age in the Eastern Cape Province. CONCLUSION: The low-dose, plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine, which is affordable to most developing countries, was very successful in controlling endemic hepatitis B infection, where the virus is predominantly spread by horizontal transmission among infants and young children.http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862002000400005Hepatitis B vaccines/administration and dosageHepatitis B vaccines/economicsHepatitis B surface antigens/bloodChildEndemic diseases/immunologyImmunization programsEvaluation studiesCross-sectional studiesSouth Africa |
| spellingShingle | Schoub B.D. Matai U. Singh B. Blackburn N.K. Levin J.B. Universal immunization of infants with low doses of a low-cost, plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine in South Africa Bulletin of the World Health Organization Hepatitis B vaccines/administration and dosage Hepatitis B vaccines/economics Hepatitis B surface antigens/blood Child Endemic diseases/immunology Immunization programs Evaluation studies Cross-sectional studies South Africa |
| title | Universal immunization of infants with low doses of a low-cost, plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine in South Africa |
| title_full | Universal immunization of infants with low doses of a low-cost, plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Universal immunization of infants with low doses of a low-cost, plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Universal immunization of infants with low doses of a low-cost, plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine in South Africa |
| title_short | Universal immunization of infants with low doses of a low-cost, plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine in South Africa |
| title_sort | universal immunization of infants with low doses of a low cost plasma derived hepatitis b vaccine in south africa |
| topic | Hepatitis B vaccines/administration and dosage Hepatitis B vaccines/economics Hepatitis B surface antigens/blood Child Endemic diseases/immunology Immunization programs Evaluation studies Cross-sectional studies South Africa |
| url | http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862002000400005 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT schoubbd universalimmunizationofinfantswithlowdosesofalowcostplasmaderivedhepatitisbvaccineinsouthafrica AT mataiu universalimmunizationofinfantswithlowdosesofalowcostplasmaderivedhepatitisbvaccineinsouthafrica AT singhb universalimmunizationofinfantswithlowdosesofalowcostplasmaderivedhepatitisbvaccineinsouthafrica AT blackburnnk universalimmunizationofinfantswithlowdosesofalowcostplasmaderivedhepatitisbvaccineinsouthafrica AT levinjb universalimmunizationofinfantswithlowdosesofalowcostplasmaderivedhepatitisbvaccineinsouthafrica |