Hepatitis B sero-prevalence in children under 15 years of age in South Africa using residual samples from community-based febrile rash surveillance.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction and methods

Hepatitis B is a vaccine preventable disease and is notifiable in South Africa. Hepatitis B vaccination was incorporated into the Expanded Programme on Immunisation in South Africa in 1995. We used a convenience sample from community-based febrile rash surveillance in 2013 to estimate hepatitis B sero-prevalence. Of samples serologically negative for acute measles infection, 450 samples spanning nine provinces of South Africa were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) and hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc).

Results

Two children (2/450; 0.4%) tested positive for HBsAg. Three hundred and three children (67.3%) had evidence of vaccine induced immunity. Vaccine induced immunity was present in 80.2% of 1

SUBMITTER: Prabdial-Sing N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6544234 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature