Increased risk of hepatitis B due to incomplete or untimely immunisation in one-quarter of infants of hepatitis-B-virus carriers
Van der Ploeg, C.P.B.; Kateman, H.; Vermeer-de Bondt, P.E.; Verkerk, P.H.
Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde 148(37): 1820-1824
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 0028-2162 PMID: 15495511 Document Number: 568579
To determine the frequency of an increased risk of infection in children of hepatitis-B-virus carriers due to incomplete or untimely hepatitis-B immunisation. Descriptive. Dates of birth and hepatitis-B immunisations were collected for all documented children of hepatitis-B-virus carriers in the vaccination registers, born in 2000 in The Netherlands. To assess the possible increased risk of infection, criteria were drawn up for the completeness and timeliness of the immunisations and on the basis of these the number of children who possibly had an increased risk of infection was determined. In total, 731 of the 769 children (95%) had received hepatitis-B immunoglobulins and at least 3 vaccinations. For 200 children (26%) the deviation from the immunisation schedule was so great that the child was possibly (temporarily) inadequately protected. A quarter of the children of hepatitis-B-virus carriers were immunised incompletely or at the wrong time. This calls for an adjustment of the immunisation schedule and national guidelines in which the responsibilities and tasks are clearly defined.