title: The control of hepatitis B virus infection with vaccine in Japanese nursery schools.
abstract: In 1983, the efficacy of an inactivated hepatitis B vaccine was assessed among children in nursery schools in which there was at least one hepatitis B surface antigen-positive child with hepatitis B e antigen. Of the 496 children who completed the protocol, 243 (aged 2.7 +/- 1.1 years) in six of the nursery schools received three injections of the vaccine. In five other nursery schools, 253 children (aged 2.3 +/- 1.0 years) did not receive the vaccine and were used as the control group. No side effects resulted from vaccination. Two doses of the vaccine induced antibodies in 70.8% of the vaccinated children. A booster dose six months after the first induced antibodies in 82.3% of the recipients and markedly increased the proportion of recipients who produced high antibody titiers. Although nine (4.4%) of the 203 children in the control group (whom the authors were able to follow for 24 months) were infected with hepatitis B virus and two of them became carriers, none of the vaccine recipients were infected. The vaccine appears to be safe, immunogenic, and efficacious in preventing infection with hepatitis B virus in nursery schools.
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007223:Infant; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D012578:Schools, Nursery; D014611:Vaccination; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines