A low rate of hepatitis B virus vaccine breakthrough infections in Mongolia

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J Med Virol. 2006 Dec;78(12):1554-9.

A low rate of hepatitis B virus vaccine breakthrough infections in Mongolia.

Ijaz S, Khulan J, Bissett SL, Ferns RB, Nymadawa P, Tedder RS.

Department of Virology, Royal Free and University College Medical School,

London, United Kingdom.

A nation-wide hepatitis B virus (HBV) immunization program of all newborn

babies was launched in Mongolia in 1991. However, the continuation of

clinical icteric viral hepatitis infections in children led to the

investigation to determine whether HBV breakthrough infections were

occurring and if any were due to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)

mutants. Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infections accounted for most of these

cases with 3% of the jaundiced children shown to have acute hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B vaccine protection was 93% against HBV infection and 97% against

HBV carriage. A G145A " escape mutant " was found in one HBV carrier child

only. Anti-HBs levels, however, were low with 85% having titers less than

100 IU/L, 46% of whom had levels less than 10 IU/L. The results from this

study demonstrate that the HBV immunization program in Mongolia provides an

effective level of protection. However, continued surveillance of

breakthrough infections and close monitoring of " vaccine escape " mutants is

required. J. Med. Virol. 78:1554-1559, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

PMID: 17063521 [PubMed - in process]

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[Guest guest]

J Med Virol. 2006 Dec;78(12):1554-9.

A low rate of hepatitis B virus vaccine breakthrough infections in Mongolia.

Ijaz S, Khulan J, Bissett SL, Ferns RB, Nymadawa P, Tedder RS.

Department of Virology, Royal Free and University College Medical School,

London, United Kingdom.

A nation-wide hepatitis B virus (HBV) immunization program of all newborn

babies was launched in Mongolia in 1991. However, the continuation of

clinical icteric viral hepatitis infections in children led to the

investigation to determine whether HBV breakthrough infections were

occurring and if any were due to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)

mutants. Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infections accounted for most of these

cases with 3% of the jaundiced children shown to have acute hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B vaccine protection was 93% against HBV infection and 97% against

HBV carriage. A G145A " escape mutant " was found in one HBV carrier child

only. Anti-HBs levels, however, were low with 85% having titers less than

100 IU/L, 46% of whom had levels less than 10 IU/L. The results from this

study demonstrate that the HBV immunization program in Mongolia provides an

effective level of protection. However, continued surveillance of

breakthrough infections and close monitoring of " vaccine escape " mutants is

required. J. Med. Virol. 78:1554-1559, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

PMID: 17063521 [PubMed - in process]

_________________________________________________________________

Add a contact to Windows Live Messenger for a chance to win a free

trip!

http://www.imagine-windowslive.com/minisites//default.aspx?locale=en-us & hmt\

agline