Waning-off effect of serum hepatitis B surface antibody amongst Taiwanese university students: 18 ye

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Waning-off effect of serum hepatitis B surface antibody amongst Taiwanese

university students: 18 years post-implementation of Taiwan's national

hepatitis B vaccination programme

Authors: Su, F.-H.1; Chen, J.-D.2; Cheng, S.-H.3; Sung, K.-Y.4; Jeng, J.-J.5;

Chu, F.-Y.6

Source: Journal of Viral Hepatitis, Volume 15, Number 1, January 2008 , pp.

14-19(6)

Publisher: Blackwell Publishing

Abstract:

Summary. 

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and its sequelae remain a major health problem

for Taiwan. The national hepatitis B (HB) vaccination programme was first

launched in 1984 to combat the spread of this infection. This study examined the

status of HBV infection amongst students at a Taiwanese university in 2005,

18 years after the implementation of a nation-wide mass HB vaccination

programme. In 2005, 5875 new university entrants, who were born during the

period 1 July 1976 to 30 June 1988, were subdivided into one of 12

one-year-interval birth-year cohorts. Each student was individually tested for

serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), Antibody to hepatitis B surface

antigen (anti-HBs) and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) status.

We observed a declining trend of past exposure to HB infection from 48.7% (1976

birth-year cohort) to 5.2% (1987 birth-year cohort). The prevalence of chronic

HB infection also declined from 14.5% (1976 birth-year cohort) to 1.9% (1987

birth-year cohort). The prevalence of persistent HB immunity through (earlier)

active vaccination declined from 72% (1984 birth-year cohort) to 41.6% (1987

birth-year cohort). The prevalence of HB infection-naïve individuals increased

from 18.2% (1984 birth-year cohort) to 53.1% (1987 birth-year cohort). This

study demonstrates that as the implementation of the mass HB vaccination

programme in 1984, the incidence of HB infection in Taiwan has declined,

although a `waning-off' effect of serum anti-HBs to low or undetectable levels,

which may not provide protection, amongst this student population has arisen,

18 years following the implementation of the nation-wide HB vaccination

programme. Such a situation may mean that these individuals may not be

effectively protected against future HB infection. A booster dose of HB vaccine,

given 18 years following HB vaccination, perhaps even earlier, should be

considered.

Keywords: hepatitis B virus; mass-vaccination programme; Taiwan

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2893.2007.00890.x

Affiliations: 1: Department of Family Medicine, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital,

Pan Chiao, Taipei Hsien, Taiwan 2: Department of Family Medicine, Shin Kong Wu

Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan 3: Yangmei Township Public Health

Center, Tao Yuan Hsien, Taiwan 4: School of Medicine 5: Student Health Service,

Fu Jen Catholic University, Hsin-Chuang, Taipei Hsien, Taiwan 6: Department of

Clinical Pathology, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, Pan Chiao, Taipei Hsien,

Taiwan

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