Efficacy of hepatitis B vaccination in primary school children from a village endemic for Schistosoma mansoni.
To determine whether chronic Schistosoma mansoni infection interferes with hepatitis B virus (HBV) immunization, 308 schoolchildren aged 6-12 years with no evidence of prior HBV infection (156 with active schistosomiasis) were vaccinated with three 5-micrograms injections of recombinant DNA-derived HBV vaccine. The vaccine was given in the deltoid muscle at time 0 and 1 and 7 months later. All vaccinees were examined 1 and 3 years after vaccination for quantitative antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs). Seroconversion was detected in 284 vaccinated children (92%), of whom 271 had a good (51-300 mIU/mL) or excellent (greater than 300 mIU/mL) anti-HBs response. Sixteen other children (5%) had evidence of natural HBV infection (antibody to hepatitis B core antigen). Of those with good or excellent response, 99% retained high antibody titers for 3 years. Response was not influenced by S. mansoni infection. Hepatomegaly and splenomegaly were associated with reduced vaccine response.
Bassily
S
S
US Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, University Faculty of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt.
Strickland
G T
GT
Abdel-Wahab
M F
MF
Esmat
G E
GE
Narooz
S
S
el-Masry
N A
NA
Constantine
N T
NT
Struewing
J P
JP
D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006529:Hepatomegaly; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000276:immunology*; D013163:Splenomegaly; D014611:Vaccination; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines