Hepatitis B vaccination in high-risk infants: 10-year follow-up

The long-term efficacy of hepatitis B vaccination among high-risk infants w as determined in 805 vaccine responders, immunized at birth in Taiwan durin g 1981-1984 and followed to age 10 years, via life table survival and Cox m ultivariate analyses. At 10 years, cumulative persistence of antibody to he patitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) was 85%, and cumulative incidence of h epatitis B virus (HBV) infection was 15%, Three children became carriers. T welve-month anti-HBs titer was the strongest predictor of efficacy. The hig her the initial titer, the lower the risk of anti-HBs loss (relative risk [ RR], 0.26 for titer of 100-999 mIU/mL; RR, 0.08 for titer >1000 mIU/mL; P<. 001) and HBV infection (RR, 0.55 and 0.27; P<.05). Maternal hepatitis B e a ntigen positivity but not hepatitis B immunoglobulin dose or gender predict ed greater antibody persistence to age 10 years. Because the level of antib ody persistence remained high and few became carriers, booster revaccinatio n within 10 years seems unnecessary.