title: Immunogenicity of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine in urban black children from Ga-Rankuwa, Bophuthatswana, South Africa.
abstract: Many areas in Southern Africa have a relatively high endemicity for hepatitis B for which the only effective medical measure is vaccination. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibody response to a recombinant hepatitis B vaccine (Engerix B; Smith Kline-Beecham) in a black urban population, with the use of the recommended regimen and a low dose, short course. One hundred eleven children seronegative for hepatitis B virus (5 to 19 years old) were randomized to receive one of the two vaccination schedules (20 micrograms at zero, 1 and 6 months or 2 micrograms at zero, 1 and 2 months). Antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen was determined 6 to 8 weeks after the last dose by radioimmunoassay (Ausab; Abbott Laboratories). The recommended schedule gave a seroconversion rate of 100% with a geometric mean titer of 585.9 mIU/ml. The low dose, short course schedule produced a seroconversion rate of 63.8% and a geometric mean titer of 73.8 mIU/ml. In the 5- to 9-year-old individuals, however, 71.6% seroconverted (geometric mean titer 114.2 mIU/ml). For cost reasons further investigations on low dose regimens are indicated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Southern Africa.
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Manyike
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aspinall
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Summers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D044383:Black People; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D013019:South Africa; D014505:Urban Population; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; C075654:Engerix-B; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic