Incidence of Hepatitis B Virus Infections in Preschool Children in Taiwan

Beasley, R. Palmer; Hwang, Lu-Yu; Lin, Chia Chin; Leu, Ming-Sheng; Stevens, Cladd E.; Szmuness, Wolf; Chen, K.-P.

doi:10.1093/infdis/146.2.198

Cited by 295 publications

(133 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…The overall prevalence for HBsAg of c. 20 % is commonly reported in sub-Saharan Africa or in Asia (3)(4)(5). However such a marked difference as described here between rural and urban populations is uncommon.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hepatitis B virus infection in general population in Madagascar: evidence for different epidemiological patterns in urban and in rural areas

et al. 1996

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SUMMARYTo describe the features of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Madagascar, a randomized sero-epidemiological survey was undertaken in the general population > 1 year old of two provinces which represents 45 % of the total population. In the 921 sera tested, the prevalence of HBV markers was 20-5 % for HBsAg, 38-2 % for anti-HBc and 6-9 % for HBeAg. HBsAg and anti-HBc prevalence rates were significantly higher in males. A large difference in HBsAg prevalence was observed between urban (5 3 %) and rural areas (26-0 %). The same contrast in prevalence was noticed for the other HBV markers. In rural areas, HBV infection was more frequently acquired early in infancy, which suggests predominantly perinatal or postnatal transmission. The presence of HBV markers was not significantly associated with a history of blood transfusion, surgery or parenteral injection. High infectivity carriers represented 5-3 % and the overall frequency of chronic carriers was 10 4 %. These results place Madagascar among areas of high endemicity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hepatitis B virus infection in general population in Madagascar: evidence for different epidemiological patterns in urban and in rural areas

et al. 1996

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“…Before the implementation of a nationwide vaccination program in 1984, the hepatitis B virus (HBV) carrier rate in the general population was 15% to 20%. [1][2] The major impact of HB infection is its long-term sequelae, which may include chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. 3 Perinatal infection accounts for 40% to 50% of all HB infections and is responsible for the generation-to-generation transmission of HBV.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[17][18][19][20][21][22] HBeAg is a marker of high HB viral load and is indicative of greater infectivity. 1 Children born to HBeAg-positive and HBsAgpositive mothers are at a higher risk of HB viral infection. Therefore, knowledge of the duration of protection of HB vaccine and the optimal timing of booster vaccination is especially important to this high-risk group of children.…”

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confidence: 99%

Long-term response to hepatitis B vaccination and response to booster in children born to mothers with hepatitis B e antigen

et al. 1999

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Hepatitis B (HB) vaccine provides an uncertain duration of protection and the optimal timing of booster vaccine remains unclear. This study examined the immune response at 10 years of 118 children who had developed protective anti-HB surface (anti-HBs) levels after a primary series of HB immunizations in infancy. All of the children were born to hepatitis B e Antigen (HBeAg)-positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier mothers. HB markers in all subjects and cellular immune response in some were determined. A booster was given to all subjects after the collection of samples and another blood sample was collected 4 weeks later. The results showed that a total of 39 (33%) of the children were seronegative for anti-HBs. T-cell proliferative response to HBsAg was noted in 47% of children. On HBsAg stimulation, leukocyte samples from a significantly higher proportion of subjects produced cytokines (81% of T cells produced interleukin-2 [IL-2] and 100% produced IL-5). The booster dose of HB vaccine induced the production of a protective level of anti-HBs (H10 mIU/mL) in all subjects. Cellular immunity was augmented with a positive rate of 58%, 90%, and 100% for HBsAg-induced T-cell proliferation, IL-2 production, and IL-5 production, respectively. Although 14 (11.9%) of the subjects were HB core antibody positive at 10 years of age, no new HBsAg carrier was detected. The results of this study show that protection afforded by HB vaccination persisted to the age of 10 years in all vaccinees. Immunologic memory was detected in all subjects including those who had lost their anti-HBs seropositivity. These results suggest that no booster vaccination is needed before 10 years of age. The most sensitive marker of immunologic memory is IL-5 production of T cells. (HEPATOLOGY 1999;29: 954-959.)Taiwan is an endemic region for hepatitis B (HB). Before the implementation of a nationwide vaccination program in 1984, the hepatitis B virus (HBV) carrier rate in the general population was 15% to 20%. 1-2 The major impact of HB infection is its long-term sequelae, which may include chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. 3 Perinatal infection accounts for 40% to 50% of all HB infections and is responsible for the generation-to-generation transmission of HBV. 4 HB vaccines, both plasma derived and recombinant, are highly immunogenic and efficacious. 5-10 It has been reported that HB vaccine given soon after birth is able to protect infants from perinatal infection, and HB infection became the first disease model to show that mother-to-neonate transmission can be interrupted by an effective vaccine. 11 Taiwan started a national program of HB vaccination since 1984. This program resulted in a significant reduction of the HB carrier rate in children under 10 years from 9.8% before nationwide vaccination to 1.3% after the program. 12 It also decreased the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in children aged 6 to 9 years from 0.52 to 0.13 per 100,000. 13 However, the duration of protection provided by the...

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“…In contrast, only 5% of infants of HBeAg-negative HBsAg carrier mothers become chronic carriers and a small fraction may develop acute or fulminant hepatitis B (Shiraki et al 1980;Chang et al 1987). Among 2-to 4-yrold toddlers, 25% will become chronic carriers (Beasley et al 1982). In contrast, only 2.7% of the newly HBV-infected 18-to 19-yr-old university students became chronic carriers (Beasley et al 1983a).…”

Section: Transmission Route Of Hbv and Outcomes Of Hbv Infection At Dmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevention of Hepatitis B

Chang

Chen

2015

Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine

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Hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes life-threatening liver disease. It is transmitted through a horizontal route or a mother-to-infant route, and the latter is the major route in endemic areas. Prevention of HBV infection by immunization is the best way to eliminate HBV-related diseases. The HBV vaccine is the first human vaccine using a viral antigen from infected persons, which is safe and effective. Either passive immunization by hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) or active immunization by HBV vaccine is effective, and a combination of both yields the best efficacy in preventing HBV infection. The impact of universal HBV immunization is huge, with 90%-95% effectiveness in preventing chronic HBV infection. It is the first cancer preventive vaccine with a protective efficacy against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) of 70%. Nevertheless, further effort is still needed to avoid vaccine failure and to increase the global coverage rate.

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Incidence of Hepatitis B Virus Infections in Preschool Children in Taiwan

Cited by 295 publications

References 7 publications

Hepatitis B virus infection in general population in Madagascar: evidence for different epidemiological patterns in urban and in rural areas

Hepatitis B virus infection in general population in Madagascar: evidence for different epidemiological patterns in urban and in rural areas

Long-term response to hepatitis B vaccination and response to booster in children born to mothers with hepatitis B e antigen

Prevention of Hepatitis B

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