The Serum Anti-HBs Level Among Children Who Received Routine Hepatitis B Vaccination During Infancy in Mianyang City, China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) prevalence has declined remarkably in children due to nationwide universal vaccination program for HBV in China. However, the persistence of immune response against HBV infection and the optimal time point when a booster vaccination should be performed remain to be elucidated. To assess the persistence and level of antibody against hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) in a representative population of age 15 and younger who received routine hepatitis B vaccination in Mianyang City, China. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2011. One thousand five hundred twenty-six children of age 15 and younger who received three doses of 5 μg hepatitis B vaccine series during infancy but did not receive a booster vaccination later were enrolled. Of the 1,526 children, the mean age was 8.2 ± 4.1 and 739 children were male. The median anti-HBs level was 23.0 mIU/mL, and the total percentage of anti-HBs levels ≥10 mIU/mL was 60.9%. With an increase of age, median anti-HBs level, percentage of anti-HBs levels ≥10 mIU/mL, and percentage of anti-HBs levels ≥100 mIU/mL declined remarkably in the early period and reached the lowest level at the age of 3 and then remained relatively stable. The median anti-HBs level, the percentage of anti-HBs levels ≥10 mIU/mL, and the percentage of anti-HBs levels ≥100 mIU/mL in 1- and 2-year-old children were much higher than that in children aged 3-15 (p < 0.05, respectively). Immunity against HBV infection gradually decreased in early ages of children of 15 and younger who received three doses of 5 μg hepatitis B vaccine series during infancy in China. Three dosages of 10 μg hepatitis B vaccine for infants and repeated vaccination or additional booster vaccination for some children at or before age 3 should be provided to get much more powerful immunity to HBV.

Assessment of Immunization to Hepatitis B Vaccine among Children under Five Years in Rural Areas of Taiz, Yemen

“…This finding was supported by previous reports of declined HBV vaccine protective level with age in Yemen [13, 19]. Similar association between older age and lower level of HBV vaccine protection rate has been reported by studies conducted in Saudi Arabia [36], Europe [37], and China [38, 39]. A well-described age-related modulation of the immune system is the decline of de novo generation of T and B cells.…”

Overt and occult hepatitis B virus infection among community children in Northwest China

“…Moreover, the anti‐HBs positive rate in community children was 57.35%, which was also lower than the rate in economically developed areas in China . The anti‐HBs positive rate among children 3‐6 years of age was the lowest, which may be related to the spontaneous regression and disappearance of anti‐HBs.…”

“…Moreover, the anti-HBs positive rate in community children was 57.35%, which was also lower than the rate in economically developed areas in China. 17,18 The anti-HBs positive rate among children 3-6 years of age was the lowest, which may be related to the spontaneous regression and disappearance of anti-HBs. After 6 years of age, children are enrolled in public elementary schools, and most of them who lack anti-HBs will receive a booster HB vaccine from a catch-up vaccination programme conducted from 2009 to 2011.…”

Antibody response to hepatitis B vaccine in HIV‐exposed infants in Malawi and correlation with HBV infection acquisition

“…However, it has to be underlined that anti-HBs titers (and proportion with protective levels) significantly decreased at 12 months and further at 24 months, as reported by others, 1,5,14,16 but differently from what reported for healthy adults who, 20 years after vaccination, had anti-HBs antibodies >10 mIU/mL in more than 90% of the cases. 17 We observed a diminished response in HIV-infected children (as reported by others 5,18 ) although the numbers were too small in our cohort to draw definitive conclusions The only other significant factor associated to HBV immune response was male sex.…”