effective factors on anti-HBs titer after vaccination in Beta the alassemic patients

ABSTRACT

In transfusion dependent thalassemia major patients, HBV infection is common, thus immunization against HBV will reduce and prevent the rate of infection. In this study we want to evaluate the anti-HBs titer after vaccination. This trail was done on 217 patients, 18.4% of patients had no response, 23% had low response and 58.5% had normal response to anti-HBV vaccination. Except the duration of vaccination, we did not find any relation between age, splenectomy, chelation therapy, transfusion, serum ferritin level and anti-HBs titer. There were also 26 patients with positive HBc-Ab, among these patients, 42.31% were not detectable. Although we found acceptable anti-HBs titers after vaccination, but because of low incidence of HBV infection and high cost of producing the vaccine, and no response to booster, it seems that revaccination is unnecessary