Impact of hepatitis B vaccination among children in Guangdong Province, China.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of the universal infant hepatitis B vaccination program on hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Guangdong Province, China.


METHODS
In 2006, a serosurvey was conducted in Guangdong Province among children aged <15 years, 14 years after the introduction of universal infant hepatitis B vaccination. The participants were selected by stratified, multi-stage random sampling. Demographic characteristics and hepatitis B vaccination history were collected by a questionnaire and a review of the vaccination records, and serum specimens were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), and antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) by ELISA. The prevalence rate of HBV serological markers and the rate of immunization coverage in this survey were compared with those of the 1992 and 2002 surveys.


RESULTS
A total of 1967 children aged <15 years participated in 2006. The prevalence rate of HBsAg decreased from 19.86% in the 1992 survey to 4.91% in the 2006 survey. The rates of three-dose and timely birth dose coverage of hepatitis B vaccine were 92.40% and 70.84%, respectively, among children born during the period 2002-2005. The prevalence of HBsAg was significantly lower among fully immunized children (1.99%) than among unvaccinated children (5.56%).


CONCLUSIONS
Guangdong Province has successfully integrated the hepatitis B vaccine into routine immunization programs and this has had a very significant impact on decreasing the HBsAg carrier rate among children.
Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 176 Xingang Xi Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, China.
Jianpeng
J
Xiao
Jikai
J
Zhang
Chenggang
C
Wu
Xiaoping
X
Shao
Guowen
G
Peng
Zhiqiang
Z
Peng
Wenjun
W
Ma
Yonghui
Y
Zhang
Huizhen
H
Zheng
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012424:Rural Population; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines