Abstract
Since the introduction of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccines, the numbers of HBV infections and complications have significantly decreased. However, the evidence on whether primary vaccination of infants confers lifelong immunity varies. We aimed to assess long-term immunity among healthcare workers and medical students, and the rate of decline of HBV surface antigen antibodies (anti-HBs). Hepatitis B status among participants born after 1 January 1992 was reviewed at Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Thailand. Participants were stratified by intervals since primary vaccination. HBV immunity was determined and analyzed as anti-HBs decline rate in participants with multiple follow-ups. A total of 464 participants were analyzed, with a median age of 23. Protective immunity against HBV (anti-HBs ≥ 10 mIU/mL) at 16–20, 21–25 and 26–28 years post-primary vaccination was 28%, 51.7% and 60%, respectively. The overall declining rate of anti-HBs was −42.39 mIU/mL per year. Participants with anti-HBs levels of >100–1000 mIU/mL at baseline had a faster decline rate than those with anti-HBs levels of 10–100 mIU/mL. Primary vaccination may not provide lifelong protection since HBV immunity deteriorates over time. Individuals with higher initial HBV immunity levels may experience a faster decline rate.
Highlights
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection results in acute and chronic liver disease and increases the risk of developing cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 257 million people worldwide are infected with HBV [1] or have tested positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), with 15% of those infected living in the WHO’s South-East Asia Region (SEAR)
In 2015, the WHO reported that HBV-related diseases such as cirrhosis and HCC claimed 887,000 lives worldwide
Summary
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection results in acute and chronic liver disease and increases the risk of developing cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It spreads via infected blood, bodily fluids and sexual contact. The SEAR is estimated to lose 296,000 people to hepatitis B [1,2,3], mostly from HBV-related chronic liver cirrhosis and liver cancer [4]. Efficacious hepatitis B vaccines, widely administered to infants, have resulted in significantly reduced new chronic HBV infections. In 2015, HBV transmission in the first five years of life decreased significantly, as indicated by a decrease in the percentage of children infected with HBV [5]. The vaccine is given in three doses: at birth, 2 and 6 months of age [7,8]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
