Vaccination against hepatitis B in preschool children with Down's syndrome.
Twenty-nine healthy HBsAg- and HBsAb-negative children with Down's syndrome who were living at home (mean age 42 months; 19 M, 10 F) were vaccinated against hepatitis B virus either with recombinant DNA or plasma-derived vaccine. Both groups of children responded well to the vaccination schedules, with HBsAb seroconversion rates close to 100%. Vaccination against hepatitis B in preschool children with Down's syndrome is effective in spite of the existing abnormalities of the immune function.
Vajro
P
P
Department of Pediatrics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, University of Naples, Italy.
Lettera
P
P
Fontanella
A
A
Sbreglia
C
C
Manzillo
E
E
Sartorio
R
R
Del Giudice
E
E
D002675:Child, Preschool; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines