Seroepidemiologic survey for hepatitis B virus infection in Taiwan: the effect of hepatitis B mass immunization.
A hepatitis B mass immunization program was launched in Taiwan in July 1984, beginning with newborns of hepatitis B carrier mothers for the first 2 years of the program, which was then extended to all newborns. Seroepidemiology was studied in 3 cohorts at age 6 years. Each cohort consisted of 1500 children proportionally and randomly sampled from those entering elementary school in 1989, 1991, and 1993, representing those born 1 year before the program began and years 1 and 3 of the program, respectively. By RIA, the hepatitis B surface antigen positivity rates in the groups were 10.5%, 6.3%, and 1.7%, respectively; hepatitis B surface antibody positivity rates were 36.9%, 62.0%, 65.4%; and hepatitis B infection rates were 25.0%, 15.9%, 4.3%. Thus, universal immunization was more effective in reducing hepatitis B carriage than selective immunization of newborns of carrier mothers only. The program has proved effective in controlling chronic hepatitis B infection in Taiwan.
Hsu
H M
HM
Bureau of Communicable Disease Control, Department of Health, Executive Yuan, Taipei, Taiwan. cdhsu_hm@dohr6.doh.gov.tw
Lu
C F
CF
Lee
S C
SC
Lin
S R
SR
Chen
D S
DS
D015415:Biomarkers; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015397:Program Evaluation; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
D015415:Biomarkers; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines