Humoral immune responses to a hepatitis B vaccine 18–21 years after neonatal immunization

Background: Over 2 billion people worldwide have been exposed to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, and at least 378 million are chronically infected and are at risk for severe disease and death. After several decades of vaccination against hepatitis B virus in newborns, infants, adolescents, and adults, the question remains whether a booster dose is ever needed. If hepatitis B (HB) vaccine conferred immunity persists into adulthood is unknown. We aimed to investigate long-term HB immunity after 18–21 years vaccinated neonatal. Methods and materials: We retrospectively evaluated medical students who came to our university if they had been vaccinated at infants from their vaccination list. We measured HB surface antigen (HBsAg), 18 years after primary neonatal immunization with plasma-derived HB vaccines. The various factors were evaluated in associations of non-protective levels. Results: Seventy-two subjects were evaluated. Around 54.1% (39/72) subjects received booster dose and 45.8% (33/72) subjects didn’t receive any booster dose since the neonate. Of 22% (16/72) subjects developed positive of HBsAg. The mean difference in BMI was not statistically significant in positive (23.37 ± 5.08) and negative (21.72 ± 7.19) HBsAg status population (p 0.513). No association were found between HBsAg status and gender, history of jaundice, history of blood transfusion. Conclusion: Long-term HB immunity after 18–21 years of vaccinated neonatal was only in 78% subjects. It seems reasonable to determine the anti-HBs status of children at 10–15 years after receiving the plasma-derived HB vaccine and provide a booster to those whose immunity has waned.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-ND

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