Increasing compliance over five years in a hepatitis B infant immunization program in Saudi Arabia.

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Immunology
• Public Health

Background:

• Hepatitis B carrier mothers pose a significant risk of perinatal transmission to their infants.
• Early immunization programs are crucial for preventing chronic hepatitis B infection.
• The King Fahad National Guard Hospital initiated a vaccination program for at-risk newborns in July 1984.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness and uptake of the hepatitis B immunization program for infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers.
• To assess the impact of the program on reducing infant hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positivity.
• To track improvements in vaccination series completion rates over the initial five years of the program.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of program data from July 1984 to 1988.
• Tracking of maternal hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) status and infant vaccination records.
• Monitoring of prenatal care attendance and vaccination series completion for at-risk infants.

Main Results:

• Maternal HBsAg positivity was found to be 3.8% among the studied population.
• Prenatal care attendance increased from 46% in 1984 to 66% in 1987.
• Vaccination series completion rates improved significantly: second dose from 49% to 74%, and third dose from 21% to 51% between 1984 and 1988. Infant HBsAg negativity was high (126/127), with 87% seroconversion to anti-HBs.

Conclusions:

• The hepatitis B immunization program demonstrated increasing success in vaccination uptake and completion.
• The program was highly effective in preventing perinatal transmission, with a low rate of infant HBsAg positivity.
• Continued efforts to enhance prenatal care and vaccination adherence are vital for eradicating hepatitis B transmission.