Hepatitis B vaccine in the EPI schedule.
OBJECTIVE
This study was carried out to evaluate the adequacy of seroconversion when Hepatitis B vaccine is given along with other vaccines at 0, 6 weeks (along with DPT and OPV) and at 9 months (along with measles).


METHODS
725 infants born to apparently healthy mothers were enrolled to receive the hepatitis B vaccine at 0, 6 weeks and 9 months (Group A) or at 0, 1 and 6 months as per WHO schedule--(Group B). Baseline HbsAg testing was carried out and the babies were immunized with the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine within 48 hours of birth. BCG and the other EPI vaccines were given as per schedule. Serum samples were collected 4 weeks after the second and the third immunizations. 604 infants (83.3%) completed the study. The testing for HbsAg and Anti Hbs titers were conducted in the Department of Microbiology, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi utilizing standard ELISA kits.


RESULTS
The seroconversion rates 4 weeks after the second dose of the vaccine were 90.89% (GMT = 48.23) and 91.82% (GMT = 43.95) (P=0.8) in Group A and Group B respectively. After 4 weeks of the third dose the seroconversion rates were 98.99 (GMT = 161.12) and 98.45 (GMT = 150.12) (p=0.17) in Group A and Group B respectively. The two schedules were comparable on using the Kruskal-Wallis H method for analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
The schedule of hepatitis B vaccination at 0, 6 weeks and 9 months has the same seroefficacy as the currently recommended schedule of 0, 1 and 6 months.
Jain
Ajay Kumar
AK
Department of Pediatrics, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India.
Mittal
S K
SK
Ramji
S
S
Chakravarti
A
A
D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D014944:World Health Organization
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines