Low hepatitis B vaccination coverage among hepatitis B virus carriers communicants in an eastern Brazilian Amazon city

Abstract

Objective Hepatitis B virus (HBV), even though it is an immunopreventable disease, represents a serious worldwide public health problem. This study evaluated hepatitis B vaccination coverage and the frequency of infection in HBV carrier communicants 20 years after vaccine implementation in the city of Belém, located in the eastern Brazilian Amazon.Results The study, developed between 2015 to 2018, included 288 (n = 288) communicants of HBV carriers. The analyzed population was 53.5% male, with a mean age of 9.4 years (ranging 4 months to 19 years old and a median age of 10 years). Among the examined samples, no HBV carriers (HBsAg positive) were detected; total isolated anti-HBc was detected in 2.1%; 4.2% were anti-HBc total/anti-HBs and 42% anti-HBs isolated, attributed to vaccination; 41.7% received a complete vaccination schedule (three/four doses) and 58.3% were susceptible to HBV. Although the research did not detect HBV in the studied population, there was presence of infection and a significant number of susceptible individuals.