HEPATITIS-B IMMUNIZATION RATES AMONG INFANTS IN ETHNIC-GROUPS WITH HIGH PREVALENCES OF HEPATITIS-B SURFACE-ANTIGEN CARRIERS

To determine hepatitis B immunisation rates in infants from ethnic gro ups with hepatitis B surface antigen chronic carrier prevalence over 5 per cent, a questionnaire was sent to all Maternal and Child Health C entres in Victoria, requesting information on the hepatitis B and diph theria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) or combined diphtheria-tetanus (CDT) im munisation status for all infants born between 1 July 1992 and 30 June 1993 and at risk of hepatitis B infection because of maternal ethnici ty. We received data on 3611 of 5744 infants (62.9 per cent) in target ed ethnic groups. Of these, 12.8 per cent had not received hepatitis B vaccine, and 81.6 per cent, 76.8 per cent and 64.0 per cent had recei ved at least one, two and three doses respectively, while 84 per cent had received at least three doses of DTP vaccine and/or CDT vaccine. C overage with DTP or CDT was higher than for hepatitis B vaccine (P < 0 .001), and coverage was better in areas with a higher percentage of in fants in high-prevalence ethnic groups (P < 0.001). Changes in the pro gram in Victoria in terms of timing of the first dose of vaccine plus greater attention to follow-up may lead to improved hepatitis B immuni sation rates among infants in targeted ethnic groups. Adoption of univ ersal infant hepatitis B immunisation, by increasing familiarity with hepatitis B vaccine, is likely to be the best way to increase immunisa tion coverage for these infants.