title: Hepatitis B vaccine in the Gambian Expanded Programme on Immunization: factors influencing antibody response.
abstract: Data on over a thousand Gambian children have been analysed to examine factors influencing their antibody levels following immunization with hepatitis B vaccine administered during the first year of life. The dominant effect was the time between the last dose of vaccine and taking the blood sample. There was considerable variation in vaccine response by area of residence which could not be explained by any other factor. The hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) status of the mother and the age at vaccination did not appear to have an effect, but there was some indication that a delay in receiving the second dose of vaccine led to a marginally lower response.
authors.affiliation: International Agency for Research on Cancer, MRC Laboratories, Fajara, Nr Banjul, The Gambia.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Inskip
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chotard
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Loik
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Whittle
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005714:Gambia; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007223:Infant; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines