title: [How protective is the immunization against viral hepatitis B prospectively? Seroprevalence study on viral hepatitis B infection].
abstract: Sero-epidemiological studies on herd immunity following the vaccination against hepatitis B virus may contribute to assess the needs and the optimal calendar of some booster vaccinations against hepatitis B. Such studies are quite uncommon. In order to evaluate the immune protection at community scale we performed a seroprevalence study using a sample of 360 volunteer subjects stratified in 9 groups of age. Sterile sera were obtained and preserved as frozen at -20 degrees C, and antibodies against HBsAg were measured using ELISA kits made by Dia Sorin, Italy. Data base and statistical processing of data have been made using Access, Epi Info and Excel software. 60.3% of subjects proved having protective seric levels of Anti-HBs, significantly prevailing in female subjects (68.8% ; p < 0,001) and in urban population (62.8%; p <0,001). The general trend of Anti-HBs by age varied insignificantly (correlation coefficient 0.6%); the values were significantly lower in the groups of 10-14 years of age (39.4%; p<0,001) and in 15-19 years of age (40%; p<0,001). The serum levels of Anti-HBs varied between maximum a of 1.970 mUI/ml and a minimum of 1 mUI/ml, the geometric average being of 41 mUI/ml (standard deviation 27.3 ; IC 95% : (38.18-43.82)). The vaccine efficacy for the level considered as protective (10 mUI/ml) has been 81.9% (IC 95% : (76.1-87.7)). The protection against hepatitis B viral infection assessed by measuring the prevalence of Anti-HBs is significantly more frequent in female subjects and in urban population. The trend of serum level of Anti-HBs by age, having irrelevant variations by age, has been induced by vaccination against hepatitis B virus starting 1995. The efficacy of vaccinations in newborns and health care personnel, in the field populations, was as high as 81.9%.
authors.affiliation: Universitatea de Medicină şi Farmacie Iuliu Haţieganu Cluj-Napoca, Facultatea de Medicină, Catedra Epidemiologie.
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Bocşan
authors.forename: Georgeta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gocan
authors.forename: Ligia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ursu
authors.forename: Maria Irina
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Brumboiu
authors.forename: Ioana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Soşa
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Simionca
authors.forename: Ancuţa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sava
authors.forename: Octavia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Olaru
authors.forename: Ionela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Păştina
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines