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Accelerated schedule of hepatitis B vaccination in high‐risk youth
Author(s) -
WILKINSON SE,
MORATH M,
BENNETT DL,
BURGESS MA,
ISAACS D
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1754.1996.tb01544.x
Subject(s) - medicine , immunization , hepatitis b , vaccination , immunogenicity , hepatitis b virus , hepatitis b vaccine , serology , pediatrics , immunology , hbsag , antibody , virus
Objective : To perform a feasibility and immunogenicity study of an accelerated schedule of hepatitis B immunization for high‐risk youth. Methodology : High‐risk adolescents attending a youth health centre and nearby youth refuges were immunized with Engerix‐B recombinant vaccine, 20 μg intramuscularly, at 0,2 and 6 weeks. Serology was performed prior to immunization and 3 months after the third dose. Results : Forty‐two subjects (27 female) aged 13‐20 years entered the study. Two (4.8%), already hepatitis B virus (HBV) seropositive, were excluded. Thirty‐six of 40 subjects had one or more risk factors for HBV. Participants were often elusive, needing multiple attempts to establish contact. Twenty (50%) of the 40 completed three immunizations and all 14 studied developed anti‐hepatitis B surface titres of > 100mlU/mL (geometric mean titre 630 mIU/mL, 95% confidence intervals 309‐1290). Conclusion : High‐risk youth can be immunized against hepatitis B successfully using an accelerated schedule, but compliance is difficult.