title: UK vaccination schedule: persistence of immunity to hepatitis B in children vaccinated after perinatal exposure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess persistence of immunity to hepatitis B (HBV) in primary school children vaccinated following perinatal exposure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serological survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five UK sites (Berkshire East, Birmingham, Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes and Oxfordshire).
  
  
  METHODS
  Children from 3 years 4 months to 10 years of age (mean age 6.2 years), vaccinated against HBV from birth following perinatal exposure.
  
  
  METHODS
  A single booster dose of the paediatric formulation of a recombinant HBV vaccine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Titres of antibody against hepatitis B Surface Antigen (anti-HBs) measured immediately before and 21-35 days after the HBV vaccine booster.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prebooster anti-HBs titres were >10 mIU/ml in 84.6% of children (n=26; 95% CI 65.1 to 95.6%). All children (n=25, 95% CI 86.3 to 100%) had titres >100 mIU/ml after the booster.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study of antibody persistence among UK children born to hepatitis B infected women, immunised with a 3-dose infant schedule with a toddler booster suggests sustained immunity through early childhood. These data should prompt further studies to address the need for a preschool booster.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Eudract Number 2008-004785-98.
authors.affiliation: Oxford Vaccine Group, Centre for Clinical Vaccinology and Tropical Medicine CCVTM, Churchill Hospital, Old Road, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LE, UK. t.yates@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Tom A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Yates
authors.forename: Karthikeyan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Paranthaman
authors.forename: Ly-Mee
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Scott J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hackett
authors.forename: Steven B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Pollard
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Snape
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000276:immunology; D007114:Immunization; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000276:immunology; D006113:United Kingdom; D014611:Vaccination; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic
keywords: Immunisation; Immunology