A Survey on the Vaccination Practice for Perinatal Hepatitis B Virus Infection at a Clinic in Okinawa,Japan

Abstract

The prevalence of hapatitis B (HB) virus carrier mothers and the HB immunization rate at a clinic in Okinawa prefecture were investigated. The prevalence of HB virus carrier mothers during 1981-1985, 1986-1994 and 1995-1997 were 3.5%, 2.3% and 1.1% respectively. According, to the national prevention program, passive-active immunoprophylaxis with HB immune globulin (HBIG) and HB vaccine was carried out for 12 infants born to HB virus carrier mothers positive for HBe antigen (high risk infants) and for 24 infants born to carrier mothers negative for HBe antigen (low risk infants) since 1986. The immunization rate of high risk infants and low risk infants were 100.0 % and 91.7%, respectively. A follow up system for the prevention program and assessment of vaccination schedule will be necessary to improve HB immunization rate of low risk infants in the future.

Keywords

HB virus carrier perinatal infection HB immunization rate

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

1. Recommendations of the immunization practices advisory committee update on hepatitis B prevention. JAMA 1987; 36: 437–49.

2. Shiraki K. Review on the revised national program for prevention of mother to-infant infection of HBV. J Jpn Pediatric Society 1995; 99: 1075–8 (in Japanese).

3. Health and Welfare Statistics Association. Kokumineisei no Doukou 1996;111 (in Japanese).

4. Kasiwagi S , Hayashi J , Nomura H , Kajiyama W , Ikematsu H , Noguchi A. Changing pattern of intrafamirial transmission of Hepatitis B virus in Okinawa, Japan. Am J Epidemiol 1988; 127: 783–7.

5. Hayashi J , Kajiyama W , Noguchi A , et al. Marked decrease of hepatitis B virus infection among children in Okinawa, Japan. Int J Epidemiol 1990; 19: 1083–5.

6. Hokama T , Yara A. Vaccination practice for perinatal hepatitis B virus infection. Ryukyu Med J 1997; 17 (3): 127–9.

7. Shiraki K , Nagata I , Iizuka T , Kaj i S. Mother-to-infant infection by hepatitis B virus and its prevention in Japan. In Hepatol Commun 1996; 5: 74–8.

8. Lee CU , Lee P , Huang L , Chen J , Chang M. A simplified schedule to be integrate the hepatitis B vaccine into an expanded program of immunization in endemic countries. J Pediatr 1997; 130: 981–6.

9. Committee on infectious diseases. Update on timing of hepatitis B vaccination for premature infants and for children with lapsed immunization. Pediatrics 1994; 94: 403–4.