title: Absence of occult hepatitis B virus infection in sera of diabetic children and adolescents following hepatitis B vaccination.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of occult hepatitis B (HB) infection (OBI) in HB-vaccinated diabetic children has not yet been tested. Here, we aimed to determine the prevalence of OBI among HB-vaccinated children and adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-seven (51.2%) children had a titer for antibodies to HB surface antigen (anti-HBs) of <10 IU/L. These included 44 (70%) IDDM children and 43 (40.2%) healthy children. Eighty-three (48.8%) children had an anti-HBs titer of ≥10 IU/L; they included 19 (30%) with IDDM and 64 (59.8%) healthy children. None of the enrolled children (n = 170) were reactive for total antibody to HB core antigen (anti-HBc) as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. HB virus DNA was not detected in HB-vaccinated IDDM or healthy children and adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  An amount of 170 HBsAg-negative sera samples from HB-vaccinated children and adolescents was included. They were classified into the IDDM group (n = 63) and the healthy control group (n = 107). HBsAg, anti-HBc, and anti-HBs were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and HB virus DNA was tested by nested polymerase chain reaction using 3 pairs of surface, core, and X genes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Primary HB vaccination confers long-term protection against OBI in Egyptian diabetic children and adolescents. However, the number of cases tested in this study was relatively low, and further studies and long-term follow-up of large populations are needed to draw solid and convincing conclusions.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Microbiology and Botany; Faculty of Science; Al-Zakazik University; Al-Zakazik, Egypt.
authors.forename: Heba
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Elrashidy
authors.forename: Gamal
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: El-Didamony
authors.forename: Ashraf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elbahrawy
authors.forename: Alaa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hashim
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alashker
authors.forename: Mohamed Hanafy
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Morsy
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elwassief
authors.forename: Amr
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elmestikawy
authors.forename: Abdallah Mahmoud
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Abdallah
authors.forename: Abdel-Gawad Saeid
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Mohammad
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mostafa
authors.forename: Nilly M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: Hafez
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abdelhafeez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004534:Egypt; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines
keywords: Children; Egypt; HBV; IDDM; occult HBV infection; vaccination