A pilot model of vaccination against hepatitis B virus suitable for mass vaccination campaigns in hyperendemic areas.
A hepatitis B vaccination campaign was carried out in a town of 60,000 inhabitants, Afragola, Campania, Italy, a hyperendemic area for hepatitis B where HBsAg prevalence was 13.4% and anti-HBc prevalence was 64.7%. This experimental pilot project aimed to reduce the incidence of both acute and asymptomatic viral hepatitis B and of related chronic liver complications. From 1983-1989, 8,400 subjects were vaccinated: 6,900 children up to 10 years of age and 1,500 subjects from 11-60 years of age. High seroconversion rates were observed: 99.0% in all children under one year of age, 96.0% in the older children, and 86.7% in adults. The rate of infection in Afragola has diminished from 63/100,000 in 1983 to 10/100,000 in 1989. Carriers of HBsAg decreased in the general population (7.3% compared to 13.4%), especially in children up to 10 years of age (1.0% compared to 9.0%). In babies who received hepatitis B vaccine at the same time as compulsory vaccinations compliance was 98% while it was 80% in babies who were vaccinated separately. In June 1991 the Italian Parliament promulgated a decree which imposes hepatitis B vaccination for all newborn babies at 3, 5, and 11 months of age, at the same times as the mandatory childhood vaccinations (diphtheria, tetanus, and polio) according to a new protocol (Piazza scheme) which has been in use since January 1987 in our pilot vaccination campaign in Afragola.
Da Villa
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G
Unità Sanitaria Locale 25 della Regione Campania, Servizio di Ecologia, Igiene e Profilassi, Afragola, Italy.
Piazza
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M
Iorio
R
R
Picciotto
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L
Peluso
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P
De Luca
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G
Basile
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B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D014611:Vaccination
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens