Vaccination against hepatitis B in Poland: importance, effectiveness and future prospects
Majda-Stanisławska, E.
Polski Merkuriusz Lekarski Organ Polskiego Towarzystwa Lekarskiego 14(82): 356-358
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 1426-9686 PMID: 12868202 Document Number: 559596
Programmes of vaccination against hepatitis B were introduced in Poland for the first time in 1989. The paper presents the influence of these programmes on the decrease of hepatitis B incidence in the last twelve years. We have described the methods of estimating the efficacy of hepatitis B vaccination and presented the causes of weak anti-HBV response depending on the vaccine that was used and the features of the population that was vaccinated. Special vaccination schemes were established to achieve optimal response in chronically ill or immunosuppressed patients. We have cited the latest opinions concerning booster doses in healthy people and in patients at high risk of HBV infection.