Elimination of New Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infections: Results of the Alaska Immunization Program

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 181; no. 2; pp. 413 - 418
• Main Authors: Harpaz, Rafael, McMahon, Brian J., Margolis, Harold S., Shapiro, Craig N., Havron, Dean, Carpenter, Gina, Bulkow, Lisa R., Wainwright, Robert B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 01.02.2000; University of Chicago Press; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Alaska - epidemiology; Alaska Natives; Antibodies; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Dosage; Hepatitis antigens; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B Antibodies - blood; Hepatitis B e Antigens - immunology; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens - immunology; Hepatitis B vaccines; Hepatitis B Vaccines - administration & dosage; Hepatitis B Vaccines - immunology; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis B, Chronic - epidemiology; Hepatitis B, Chronic - immunology; Hepatitis B, Chronic - prevention & control; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunization; Immunization Programs; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infections; Infectious diseases; Inuits; Major Articles; Medical sciences; Prevalence; USA, Alaska; Vaccination; Vaccination - statistics & numerical data; Viral diseases; Viral hepatitis; Alaska; United States; North America; America; Human; Vaccination; Orthohepadnavirus; Hepatic disease; Epidemiology; Infection; Virus; Viral hepatitis B; Immunoprophylaxis; Chronic; Hepadnaviridae; Efficiency; Viral disease; Digestive diseases; Hepatitis B virus; Public health
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/315259

An immunization assessment and a serologic survey were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a hepatitis B immunization program in eliminating hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission among Alaska Natives in a region in which HBV infection is endemic. Hepatitis B vaccine coverage was 93% among 567 children ⩽10 years old residing in the study villages, and catch-up vaccine coverage among 582 susceptible persons 11–30 years old was 62%. None of 271 tested children ⩽10 years old were chronically infected with HBV, and just 4 (1.5%) had evidence of resolved infection. In contrast, 16% of 332 persons 11–30 years old (those born before implementation of routine infant hepatitis B vaccination) were chronically infected. A hepatitis B immunization program that includes prevention of perinatal HBV infection, routine infant vaccination, and catch-up vaccination of older children and adults can eliminate new chronic HBV infections in a population with a high rate of chronic infection.