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Twelve-year follow-up study of hepatitis B immunization of Senegalese infants
P Coursaget1, D Leboulleux, M Soumare
1Institut de Virologie de Tours, Faculté de Pharmacie, Tours France.
Insights
Hepatitis B vaccination provides very high long-term protection against HBsAg carriage. A school-age booster dose did not significantly enhance this protection in children followed for 9-12 years.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Vaccinology
- Public Health
Background:
- Hepatitis B vaccines are effective and safe, but long-term protection after antibody decline is not well understood.
- Understanding sustained immunity is crucial for global hepatitis B eradication efforts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the long-term protection against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection up to 9-12 years post-immunization.
- To assess the impact of a school-age booster dose on sustained hepatitis B vaccine efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Follow-up study of infants immunized against hepatitis B in Senegal.
- Assessed anti-HBs antibody levels and HBsAg carriage at 9-12 years.
- Compared outcomes between children who received a booster dose and those who did not, including a control group.
Main Results:
- 81% of children with a booster dose and 68% without had detectable anti-HBs antibodies.
- Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriage was 2% in immunized children versus 19% in controls (88% protective efficacy).
- A booster dose at school age did not significantly increase protection against HBsAg carriage.
Conclusions:
- Hepatitis B vaccination confers very high and durable protection against HBsAg carriage.
- Booster doses at school age may not be necessary to maintain high protection levels in previously immunized individuals.
Abstract:
Numerous studies have documented the efficacy and safety of plasma-derived and recombinant hepatitis B vaccines. However, little is known about the long-term protection of hepatitis B vaccine, when anti-HBs declines to low or undetectable levels. This study reports results from a 9-12-year period follow up of infants immunized against hepatitis B in Senegal. At the end of the follow-up period anti-HBs were detected in 81% of children who received a booster dose at school age and in 68% of those who did not. HBsAg was detected in 19% of infants from the control group compared to only 2% of immunized infants, corresponding to a protective efficacy of 88%. The results show that long-term protection against HBsAg carriage of hepatitis B vaccination is very high and that a booster dose at school age does not significantly increase this protection.