title: Accelerated hepatitis B vaccination schedule in childhood.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For children travelling to a hepatitis B virus (HBV) endemic area or before a treatment by blood or blood productions, the conventional HBV vaccination schedule takes too long to be completed. There may be problems in the completion of the whole vaccination schedule in developing countries because of particular problems. In these situations an accelerated schedule may be useful for HBV vaccination.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 40 children were randomly divided into two groups. Groups were vaccinated according to two different schedules; schedule A: one dose at 0, 1, and 6 months and schedule B: one dose at 0, 10, and 21 days (Engerix B, 10 mcg/0.5 ml, GlaxoSmithKline). Follow-up blood samples were obtained at 1, 6 and 12 months after the first vaccine injection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seroconversion rates were 35 and 80% 1 month after the first vaccine injection, 95 and 80% at 6 months, 95 and 100% at 12 months, in groups A and B respectively. Seroprotection rates were 20 and 65% 1 month after the first vaccine injection, 85 and 70% at 6 months, 95 and 95% at 12 months, in groups A and B respectively. Seroconversion and seroprotection rates was significantly different at day 28 in accelerated vaccination schedule (P < 0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, an accelerated vaccination course against HBV (three doses at 0, 10, and 21 days) elicited protective levels of anti-HBs antibodies more rapidly than a classic course (three doses at 0, 1, and 6 months) and without a difference in the rate of seroprotection after 1 year. The accelerated 3-week recombinant HBV vaccination schedule should be recommended for HBV prophylaxis when children, such as hurried travellers, who have to have blood and blood productions, or an estimated irregular vaccination, where they have < 1 month to complete the standard HBV vaccination schedule before travelling to HBV endemic areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Dicle University Medical School, Diyarbakir, Turkey. mbosnak@dicle.tr
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bosnak
authors.forename: Bunyamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dikici
authors.forename: Vuslat
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bosnak
authors.forename: Kenan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haspolat
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D008297:Male; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines