Ad hoc survey of hepatitis B vaccination campaign in newborns of HBsAg positive mothers and in 12-year-old subjects in southern Italy.
The ongoing vaccination campaign against hepatitis B (HB) for newborns of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive mothers and for 12-year-old subjects was evaluated in Naples, Italy, an area of relatively high HB endemicity. Subjects were recruited by a random sampling procedure. Among 2060 pregnant women studied, 1887 (91.6%) were screened for HBsAg. HBsAg prevalence was 2.5% (47/1887). Immunoprophylaxis according to the protocol (immunoglobulins within 24 h plus vaccine within 7 days after birth) was administered in 26 (55.3%) out of the 47 newborns of HBsAg positive mothers; vaccination was delayed (later than 7 days after birth) for 14 (29.8%) infants; in the remaining seven newborns (14.9%) were not given immunoglobulins at birth. All infants were vaccinated. Out of the 1000 adolescents sampled 130 (13%) were not found due to an inaccurate census list; 727 (83.3%) of the 870 investigated had received a three-dose HB vaccine series. Overall, the HB vaccination program in Italy is working well. However, further efforts should be made to improve the efficacy and effectiveness of the campaign.
Adamo
B
B
Epidemiology Unit, AUSL, Napoli, Italy.
Stroffolini
T
T
Sagliocca
L
L
Simonetti
A
A
Iadanza
F
F
Fossi
E
E
Tancredi
F
F
Mele
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D009313:National Health Programs; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012494:Sampling Studies; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014611:Vaccination
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines