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Low immune response to hepatitis B vaccine among children in Dakar, Senegal

Marie-Anne Rey-Cuille1, Abdoulaye Seck, Richard Njouom

  • 1Unité de Recherche et d'Expertise en Epidémiologie des Maladies Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.

Plos One
|June 6, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Hepatitis B vaccine (HBV) protection is significantly lower in Senegalese children compared to Cameroonian children. This indicates a potential vaccine response issue in Senegal, impacting other crucial immunizations.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Vaccinology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • The Hepatitis B vaccine (HBV) was integrated into the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in Senegal and Cameroon in 2005.
  • Assessing vaccine effectiveness and immune protection in children is crucial for public health strategies in resource-limited settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the immune protection conferred by the HBV vaccine in young children in Senegal and Cameroon.
  • To identify potential disparities in vaccine response rates between the two countries.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study was conducted among hospitalized children under 4 years old with complete HBV vaccination records.
  • Blood samples were analyzed for anti-HBs and anti-HBc antibodies to assess immune response and prior infection.
  • Analysis included 242 anti-HBc-negative children from Cameroon (n=128) and Senegal (n=114).

Main Results:

  • Significantly higher prevalence of protective anti-HBs levels (≥ 10 IU/L) was observed in Cameroon (92%) compared to Senegal (58%).
  • Vaccine response in Senegal showed improvement over time, with higher rates in 2008-2009 (65%) versus 2006-2007 (43%).
  • Children with inadequate HBV vaccine response were also found to be at risk for other vaccine-preventable diseases like DTwP and Hib.

Conclusions:

  • The study highlights a concerning issue with HBV vaccine response in Senegal, suggesting potential challenges beyond just Hepatitis B.
  • The findings underscore the need for regular field biological monitoring of vaccine quality and immune response in resource-poor countries.
  • Inadequate immune response to HBV vaccination may correlate with risks for other essential childhood immunizations.

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