Mass protection program of perinatal hepatitis B virus infection in Japan and impact of an optional booster vaccination on its efficacy.
We assessed the efficacy of a government-sponsored mass protection program in Osaka, Japan, for perinatal HBV infection in infants born to HBeAg positive HBV carrier mothers. We also evaluated the impact of optional follow-up procedures in such infants, including an evaluation of anti-HBs response and a booster dose of HBV vaccine for poor responders. The results demonstrated that this mass protection program protected 94.4% of the infants from perinatal HBV infection in the Osaka area. However, the proportion of infants with an unprotective level of anti-HBs was higher in the standard group than in the follow-up group both at 1.0 and 1.5 years of age, which was also the case for HBV events. Furthermore, the present study showed that a booster dose of vaccine in poor responders was very effective in promoting an anti-HBs response. In conclusion, we recommend that a follow-up blood test to confirm a response of anti-HBs to HBV vaccine should be performed at 4-8 weeks after the third injection of HBV vaccine in infants born to HBeAg positive HBV carrier mothers. We also recommend that a booster injection of HBV vaccine should be immediately given to poor responding infants who otherwise are at a considerable risk of developing HBV infection in late infancy.
Tajiri
H
H
Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Hospital, Japan.
Kozaiwa
K
K
Harada
T
T
Ozaki
Y
Y
Miki
K
K
Shimizu
K
K
Okada
S
S
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007564:Japan; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines