title: Efficacy of a mass hepatitis B vaccination program in Taiwan. Studies on 3464 infants of hepatitis B surface antigen-carrier mothers.
abstract: To evaluate the efficacy of the mass hepatitis B vaccination program in Taiwan in interrupting perinatal hepatitis B virus transmission, 3464 randomly selected 18-month-old infant vaccinees born to hepatitis B surface antigen-carrier mothers were recruited from 9697 eligible infants during a six-month period of the program. They were divided into ten groups according to maternal infectivity and compliance with the vaccination schedule. Serum samples were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen, antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen, and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen. In 786 infants who had highly infectious mothers and who received hepatitis B immune globulin and vaccine on schedule, the protective efficacy was about 85%. The efficacy seemed to be slightly lower in those immunized off schedule. Overall, 11% of infants still carried hepatitis B surface antigen, and 81% of the infants had antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen that exceeded 10 mIU/mL in more than 90% of them. The geometric mean titers of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen were more than 200 mIU/mL in every group of infants. We conclude that the mass vaccination program is efficacious in preventing perinatal hepatitis B virus transmission and the chronic carrier state; most infant vaccinees have adequate levels of protective antibody at 18 months of age. This program is extremely significant in the control of hepatitis B virus infection in Taiwan.
authors.affiliation: Bureau of Disease Control, Department of Health, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Jwo
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D013624:Taiwan; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines; C045213:hepatitis B hyperimmune globulin