Hepatitis B virus infection in northern Uganda: Impact of pentavalent hepatitis B vaccination. Issue 46 (17th November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Teshale, Eyasu H.; Kamili, Saleem; Drobeniuc, Jan; Denniston, Maxine; Bakamutamaho, Barnabas; Downing, Robert
• Is Part Of: Vaccine. Volume 33:Issue 46(2015)
• Page Start: 6161
• Page End: 6163
• Publication Date: 2015-11-17
• Subjects: Hepatitis B virus -- Pentavalent vaccine -- Prevalence -- Birth-dose -- Mother-to-infant transmission; Vaccines -- Periodicals; 615.372
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.09.058
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-410X

Abstract

Abstract: Chronic hepatitis B virus infection (CHBI) is effectively prevented by vaccination starting at birth. Beginning in 2002 Uganda adopted a policy of providing the pentavalent hepatitis B vaccine starting at 6 weeks of age. However, there is concern that this delay may leave the infant vulnerable to infection during the first 6 weeks of life. We assessed whether vaccination at 6 weeks was an effective strategy by HBV serologic study. Of 656 persons tested for HBV, 9.4% were chronically infected; among children aged 5–9 years the prevalence was 7.6%. Of all tested, 73 were born (i.e., aged ≤4 years) after the introduction of the pentavalent vaccine; none were infected with HBV ( p = 0.003). In this study, vaccination with the pentavalent vaccine at 6 weeks did not result in CHBI, but rather provides an opportunity to prevent mother-to-infant transmission of HBV infection where there is no access to birth-dose vaccine.