Hepatitis B vaccine in the Gambian Expanded Programme on Immunization: factors influencing antibody response
Inskip, H.M.; Hall, A.J.; Chotard, J.; Loik, F.; Whittle, H.
International Journal of Epidemiology 20(3): 764-769
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-5771 PMID: 1835452 DOI: 10.1093/ije/20.3.764Document Number: 315498
Data on over a thousand Gambian (West Africa) children have been analysed to examine factors influencing their antibody levels following immunization with hepatitis B vaccine administered during the first year of life. The domninant effect was the time between the last dose of vaccine and taking the blood sample. There was considerable variation in vaccine response by area of residence which could not be explained by any other factor. The hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg) status of the mother and the age at vaccination did not appear to have an effect, but there was some indication that a delay in receiving the second dose of vaccine led to a marginally lower response.