Effect of selective vaccination on a decrease in the rate of hepatitis B virus-positive Japanese first-time blood...

Area of Science:

• * Hepatology and Virology
• * Public Health and Epidemiology
• * Immunization Programs

Background:

• * Japan initiated a selective hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination program in 1986 to prevent mother-to-infant transmission.
• * The impact of this program on first-time blood donors has not been thoroughly investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To evaluate the effectiveness of Japan's selective HBV vaccination program on first-time blood donors.
• * To analyze trends in HBV positivity rates among young blood donors before and after the program's implementation.

Main Methods:

• * Utilized data from first-time blood donors aged 16-25 years (1996-2007) from the Japanese Red Cross (JRC) database.
• * Employed Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to visualize birth-year-dependent HBV positivity rates.
• * Conducted regression analysis to assess significant changes in HBV rates around the vaccination program's start.

Main Results:

• * PCA identified distinct donor groups based on birth year, with a single group observed for those born 1986-1989 (post-program start).
• * A significant time-dependent decrease in HBV positivity was noted before the program.
• * Regression analysis revealed a significant difference in HBV positivity rates for 16-19-year-old donors around the program's inception.

Conclusions:

• * The selective HBV vaccination program has proven effective in preventing vertical (mother-to-infant) transmission.
• * Consideration of blood donor vaccination is recommended to mitigate post-transfusion HBV infection risks due to increasing horizontal transmission among HBV-positive donors.