title: Assessment of Immunization to Hepatitis B Vaccine among Children under Five Years in Rural Areas of Taiz, Yemen.
abstract: Background. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection poses a major health problem worldwide. approximately 1 million deaths annually due to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.Objectives. This study was conducted to determine the coverage rate of HBV vaccine and assess the vaccine protective response among children under five years old in rural areas of Yemen.Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to December 2015 in four districts of countryside Yemen. The target population was children aged from 6 to 59 months. 227 children were enrolled in the study. Questionnaire was used to collect of data. Serum samples were tested for anti-HBs antibodies by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Anti-HBs level ≥ 10 IU/L was considered a protective response to the vaccine.Results. The coverage rate of HBV vaccine among children was 87.3%. A total of 143 (72.2%) children responded to the vaccine with anti-HBs level ≥ 10 IU/L, while 55 (27.8%) of the children had nonprotective anti-HBs levels of <10 IU/L (P= 0.003).Conclusion. This study revealed a good coverage rate of HBV vaccine in rural areas but the protective rate against HBV infection was moderate. A considerable proportion of vaccinated children should be considered for either revaccination or booster doses.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Immunology Departments, Military Hospital, Sana'a, Yemen.
authors.forename: Fuad A A
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5259-4566
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Alssamei
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sana'a University, Sana'a, Yemen; Pediatrics Department, Al-Sabeen Maternity and Child Hospital, Sana'a, Yemen.
authors.forename: Najla A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Al-Sonboli
authors.affiliation: Virology and Serology Department, Military Hospital, Sana'a, Yemen.
authors.forename: Fawzi A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Alkumaim
authors.affiliation: Virology and Serology Department, Military Hospital, Sana'a, Yemen.
authors.forename: Nader S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Alsayaad
authors.affiliation: Virology and Serology Department, Military Hospital, Sana'a, Yemen.
authors.forename: Mohammed S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Al-Ahdal
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University Zanesville, Zanesville, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Tarig B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Higazi
authors.affiliation: National Center for Research, Khartoum, Sudan.
authors.forename: Atif A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Elagib