1. Hepatitis B surface antigen carrier rate in unvaccinated and vaccinated children with thalassaemia major at Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
- Author
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Rehman A, Mazhar A, Sheikh MA, Naeem MM, and Bhatti IA
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Blood Transfusion, Carrier State epidemiology, Child, Cohort Studies, Comorbidity, Female, Hepatitis B epidemiology, Humans, Male, National Health Programs, Pakistan epidemiology, Risk Factors, beta-Thalassemia epidemiology, Carrier State immunology, Carrier State prevention & control, Hepatitis B immunology, Hepatitis B prevention & control, Hepatitis B Surface Antigens blood, Hepatitis B Vaccines administration & dosage, beta-Thalassemia immunology
- Abstract
Screening of blood reduces but does not eliminate the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in multi-transfused thalassaemia patients. This study was done to evaluate efficacy of HBV vaccination on hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier rate in children with thalassaemia major receiving multiple blood transfusions. In a cohort study conducted at a hospital in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, during 2009-10, children with thalassaemia major aged < 60 months who received more than 24 blood transfusions and were HBsAg negative at the time of first blood transfusion were included. Of 196 unvaccinated children, the seropositive rate was 12.2%; while among 218 children vaccinated during the first year of life via the Pakistan Expanded Programme on Immunization, the seropositive rate was only 0.9%. The HBV vaccine was highly effective in reducing the HBsAg carrier rate in hildren with thalassaemia aged < 5 years.
- Published
- 2012
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