HEPATITIS-B VACCINATION IN PRETERM INFANTS

Aims - To investigate the immunogenicity and safety of existing recomm endations for hepatitis B vaccination in preterm infants. Methods - Re combinant hepatitis B vaccine (H-B-VAX II, 5 mu g per dose) was given to 85 preterm infants divided into two groups, using two different sch edules. Forty four group A infants with birthweights of < 2000 g recei ved three doses at 1, 2, and 7 months of age. Forty one group B infant s with birthweights of greater than or equal to 2000 g received three doses at 0, 1, and 6 months of age. Results - After vaccination, 42 in fants from group A (95%) and 37 infants from group B (90%) developed p rotective levels of antibody. The final seropositive rate and the geom etric mean concentration of hepatitis B surface antibody between the t wo groups were not significantly different. The immune response of pre term infants to hepatitis B vaccines was similar to that of term infan ts in a previous study. Conclusions - Preterm infants can be given hep atitis B vaccines using one of the above two different schedules, at a cutoff birthweight of 2000 g.