title: Hepatitis B vaccination in preterm infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the immunogenicity and safety of existing recommendations for hepatitis B vaccination in preterm infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Recombinant hepatitis B vaccine (H-B-VAX II, 5 micrograms per dose) was given to 85 preterm infants divided into two groups, using two different schedules. Forty four group A infants with birthweights of < 2000 g received three doses at 1, 2, and 7 months of age. Forty one group B infants with birthweights of > or = 2000 g received three doses at 0, 1, and 6 months of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After vaccination, 42 infants from group A (95%) and 37 infants from group B (90%) developed protective levels of antibody. The final seropositive rate and the geometric mean concentration of hepatitis B surface antibody between the two groups were not significantly different. The immune response of preterm infants to hepatitis B vaccines was similar to that of term infants in a previous study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preterm infants can be given hepatitis B vaccines using one of the above two different schedules, at a cutoff birthweight of 2000 g.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: F Y
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: L Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000276:immunology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000276:immunology; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines