comparison of the antibody response against Hepatitis B vaccine surface antigen between preterm and full term neonates

ABSTRACT

Infection with hepatitis B virus is one of the most common causes of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatic cell carcinoma in IRAN. Thirty percents of Iranian population are the carriers of hepatitis B virus. Forty percent have history of previous contact with this virus and three percent of them will have chronic hepatitis. The common routes for transmission is blood transfusion and it's products, feto- maternal route and sexual contact. To compare response of premature and full term infants to hepatitis B vaccine this study was performed. The immunginicity of hepatitis B vaccine was assessed. In 70 preterm infants immunized soon after birth, and compared with that in 80 term infants. Hepatitis B surface antibody [anti HBS] was measured at three months after the third dose of vaccine [1 year]. The significance of differences between the term and preterm groups was determined using routine statistical test. Similar proportion of infants in both preterm and term groups attained protective titers of hepatitis B antibodies [98/7%vs 97/1%, p=NS]. Mean antibody level to hepatitis B surface antigen in preterm infants was 217.6 +/- 244.2 mIU/mL and in term infants was 235.8 +/- 207.1 mIU/mL. Independent T test did not exhibit statistically significant difference in two groups of infants. The antibody response of preterm infants was similar to that of term newborns. Hepatitis B vaccination can be initiated on the first day of life in preterm newborns, following the same shame recommended for term newborns. However, anti HBS titers should be monitored in one year old. It may be advisable to determine the immune response before school age and repeat the vaccine if it is necessary