Evaluation of the routine hepatitis B immunization programme in Palestine, 1996.
The objectives of this study were to evaluate routine hepatitis B immunization in Palestine. Blood samples of 119 children (89 fully immunized and 30 non-immunized) were analysed. The protective antibody levels among immunized children were greater than the non-immunized children. Antibody levels among the immunized children were lower in the older age group (> 36 months), but no sex differences in antibody level were apparent. Thus, hepatitis B immunization had an excellent impact on preventing hepatitis B transmission (85% preventive). The non-responders constituted 14.6% of the sample, which is higher than other studies.
Department of Health and Planning, Ministry of Health, Gaza, Palestine.
S
S
Kuhail
R
R
el-Khodary
F
F
Ahmed
D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology* / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014611:Vaccination / Q000592:standards*
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines