Vaccination against hepatitis B among prisoners in Iran: Accelerated vs. classic vaccination

February 16, 2011

http://www.healthpolicyjrnl.com/article/PIIS0168851011000029/abstract?rss=yes

HEALTH POLICY JOURNAL

Articles in Press

Vaccination against hepatitis B among prisoners in Iran: Accelerated vs. classic

vaccination

Ali Asghar Zolghadr Aslia, Mohsen Moghadamib, Nima Zamirib, Hamid Reza

Tolide-eic, Seyyed Taghi Heydarib, Seyed Moayed Alaviand, Kamran B. Lankaranib

published online 27 January 2011.

Corrected Proof

Abstract

Background

Prisoners and injecting drug users are at constant risk of hepatitis B virus

(HBV) infection and the classic 6-months HBV vaccination might not provide

immunization rapidly enough. In this randomized clinical trial we investigated

the efficacy of an accelerated vaccination protocol vs. classic schedule among

prisoners in Iran.

Methods

180 prisoners were randomized into 2 vaccination groups; group A underwent

accelerated vaccination at 0, 1, 4 and 8 weeks and group C were vaccinated at 0,

1 and 6 months. Antibody against Hepatitis-B surface-antigen (anti-HBs) was

assessed at baseline, one, two, six and eight months after the first vaccine

dose using immunoenzymatic assays. Seroprotection was defined as anti-HBs titer

of 10IU/L or more. Anti-HBc and HBsAg were measured at baseline and 8th month to

evaluate new HBV infection and failure of vaccination.

Results

Overall compliance was 100% and 90.4% in groups A and C respectively. While

seroprotection rate at one month was significantly higher in group A (22.4%)

compared to group C (4.7%), in the 8th month 78.8% and 93.4% seroprotection was

achieved in groups A and C respectively (P<0.002).

Conclusion

Compared to classic HBV vaccination regimen, an accelerated 0, 1, 4 and 8 weeks

vaccination schedule can achieve early seroprotection more rapidly, provides

clinically sufficient seroprotection with higher compliance in prisoners and can

be suggested in situations that rapid immunization against HBV infection is

warranted.

a Islamic Azad University, Istahban Branch, Istahban, Iran

b Health Policy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz,

Iran

c Gasterohepatology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences,

Shiraz, Iran

d Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease,

Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Corresponding author at: Health Policy Research Center, Building num. 2, 5th

floor, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Tel.: +98

7112309615; fax: +98 7112309615.

PII: S0168-8510(11)00002-9

doi:10.1016/j.healthpol.2010.12.007

February 16, 2011