NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURES FOR DELIVERY OF HEPATITIS-B VACCINATION TO DIFFERENT AGE-GROUPS

If hepatitis B vaccination is to be introduced into a universal vaccin ation programme, it must be given before young people become sexually active. Two age groups ale of main interest: infants and early adolesc ents. In Australia, North America and Europe, vaccination programmes f or infants are well established but not yet for adolescents. From a de velopmental point of view targeting adolescents seems to be a demandin g task. Nevertheless, there are examples of successful approaches: e.g . rubella vaccination in the UK, where since its introduction in 1976 the immunisation coverage among 14-year-olds has remained high at 80-8 5%, or the more recent hepatitis B strategies in Italy and Spain, wher e young adolescents are included with high success rates. In summary, whereas the inclusion of HBV vaccine in the infant immunization progra mme is not a problem in most counties, the approach to adolescents nee ds more thought.