Inflammatory responses to hepatitis B virus vaccine in healthy term infants.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection continues to be a serious global health problem. During the course of HBV vaccination, we observed C-reactive protein (CRP) elevation in term infants without sepsis. Therefore, we prospectively studied interleukin-6 (IL-6) and CRP responses to HBV immunization. In 70 healthy term infants without signs and symptoms of sepsis and sepsis risk factors, IL-6, CRP, and white blood cell count levels were determined before and 24 h after immunization. Significant increases in CRP levels were seen 24 h after vaccination (p < 0.001). Although CRP levels of 22 infants at second evaluation were above the cutoff level for sepsis (4.82 mg/L), they had no clinical signs and symptoms of sepsis. After 48-72 h, CRP levels of these infants returned to normal levels with no blood culture positivity.


CONCLUSIONS
our study showed that HBV vaccine is responsible for CRP elevation in term infants after vaccination at birth. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating CRP response to HBV vaccine at birth in term infants. We suggest that this response should be considered in differentiation of early neonatal sepsis to avoid unnecessary antibiotic use.
Division of Neonatology, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Mersin Maternal and Child Health Hospital, 33240 Mersin, Turkey. istemihancelik@gmail.com
Istemi Han
IH
Celik
Gamze
G
Demirel
Fuat Emre
FE
Canpolat
Omer
O
Erdeve
Ugur
U
Dilmen
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000009:adverse effects
D015415:Biomarkers; C484909:Euvax-B; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D002097:C-Reactive Protein