Much gained by integrating contact tracing and vaccination in the hepatitis B antenatal screening program in...

Hepatitis B control in Europe concentrates on antenatal screening to reduce vertical transmission. To reduce horizontal transmission and the pool of infectious individuals, the Municipal Health Service of Amsterdam integrated tracing and immunising of contacts in the antenatal screening program.

An eight year (1992-1999) descriptive study of this public health program, where contacts are tested for serological markers of previous infection, and vaccination is offered to susceptible contacts. Chronically infected contacts are counselled and referred for treatment if justified.

For 738 newly identified women testing positive for the hepatitis B surface antigen, 1219 contacts were reported; 1100 (90.4%) contacts participated, 476 (43%) had serological markers of previous infection, of whom 119 (25%) were infectious. Of 603 eligible contacts, 568 (94%) completed the vaccination series. Country of origin was an independent predictor of contact participation and compliance with completion of the vaccination series. Postvaccination titres for antibodies against the surface antigen were below 10 IU/L in 4.5% of contacts under 30, in 12.2% of those over 30.

Tracing and immunising susceptible contacts of women screened as HBsAg-positive, should be an integral component of any country's HBV control program.