A comparison of post vaccination hepatitis B surface antibody level on the large and appropriate for gestational age...

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Pediatrics
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Hepatitis B infection poses a significant global health risk.
• Timely vaccination is crucial for preventing hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission.
• Infant birth weight is a factor that may influence vaccine immunogenicity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare hepatitis B surface antibody (HBs Ab) titers one month after the fourth dose of hepatitis B vaccine.
• To assess the impact of birth weight (appropriate vs. large for gestational age) on vaccine response.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 132 infants at 7 months of age.
• Infants were categorized into two groups: appropriate for gestational age (2-4 kg) and large for gestational age (>4 kg).
• All infants received a four-dose hepatitis B vaccine schedule.

Main Results:

• Large for gestational age infants had significantly lower HBs Ab levels compared to appropriate for gestational age infants (p=0.002).
• The mean HBs Ab level in appropriate for gestational age infants was 13,701.00±11,744.439 IU/mL, versus 8,997.15±2,827.191 IU/mL in large for gestational age infants.
• Hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis B core antibody were negative in all participants.

Conclusions:

• Infant birth weight may influence the immune response to hepatitis B vaccine administration.
• Lower antibody titers in larger infants warrant further investigation into optimal vaccination strategies.
• These findings highlight the importance of considering infant anthropometrics in vaccine efficacy studies.