Abstract
BackgroundOver recent decades, the Region of the Americas has made significant progress towards hepatitis B elimination. We summarize the countries/territories’ efforts in introducing and implementing hepatitis B (HB) vaccination and in evaluating its impact on HB virus seroprevalence.MethodsWe collected information about HB vaccination schedules, coverage estimates, and year of vaccine introduction from countries/territories reporting to the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) through the WHO/UNICEF Joint Reporting Form on Immunization. We obtained additional information regarding countries/territories vaccination recommendations and strategies through communications with Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) managers and national immunization survey reports. We identified vaccine impact studies conducted and published in the Americas.ResultsAs of October 2016, all 51 countries/territories have included infant HB vaccination in their official immunization schedule. Twenty countries, whose populations represent over 90% of the Region’s births, have included nationwide newborn HB vaccination. We estimated at 89% and 75%, the regional three-dose series and the birth dose HB vaccination coverage, respectively, for 2015. The impact evaluations of infant HB immunization programs in the Region have shown substantial reductions in HB surface antigen (HBsAg) seroprevalence.ConclusionThe achievements of vaccination programs in the Americas suggest that the elimination of perinatal and early childhood HB transmission could be feasible in the short-term. Moreover, the data gathered indicate that the Region may have already achieved the 2020 WHO goal for HB control.
Highlights
We estimated at 89% and 75%, the regional three-dose series and the birth dose hepatitis B (HB) vaccination coverage, respectively, for 2015
As of October, 2016, 35 (69%) of 51 countries/territories have included the birth HB vaccine dose into their immunization schedules: 20 countries/territories implemented it nationwide, and 14 countries/territories restricted its use to infants born to HB surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive mothers
In the Americas to date suggest that the elimination of perinatal and early childhood transmission could be feasible in the short-term, as recently assessed by PAHO/World Health Organization (WHO)’s Technical Advisory Group on Vaccine-preventable Diseases (TAG)
Summary
Vaccine coverage (%) (Year) Northern America Bermuda f Canada. 0, 2, 6 m or 2, 4, 6 m United Statesa Mexico 94e b g Central America Belize. The Region of the Americas has made significant progress towards hepatitis B elimination. Hepatitis B (HB) is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis B virus (HBV), transmitted by percutaneous or mucosal exposure to blood or body fluids of an infected person. Despite availability of effective vaccines and antiviral treatments, HBV infection continues to be a significant cause of disease burden and mortality worldwide [1]. Preventing HBV infection through vaccination has proven to be the most effective measure to reduce complications, decrease the reservoir of persons with HB chronic infections, and eliminate HBV transmission [2].
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