IMMUNOGENICITY OF RECOMBINANT HEPATITIS-B VACCINE AMONG INFANTS OF MOTHERS WITH ACTIVE SCHISTOSOMIASIS

A study of the immunogenicity of a recombinant hepatitis B vaccine was conducted among 385 Egyptian infants, 191 (49.6%) of whom were born t o mothers with moderately active Schistosoma mansoni infection (mean e gg count = 224 eggs/g of feces). All mothers were seronegative for hep atitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B e antigen. Infants we re vaccinated with a 2.5-mu g dose of this vaccine, given along with d iphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) vaccine, at the ages of two, f our, and six months. Serum samples taken from each infant at nine mont hs of age were tested for HBsAg, antibody to hepatitis B core antigen, and quantitatively for antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti- HBs). There was no significant difference (P = 0.1) between anti-HBs t iters in infants of S. mansoni-infected mothers (mean = 539 mIU/ml) an d in infants of noninfected mothers (mean = 377 mIU/ml). This study sh ows that there was no apparent effect of maternal schistosomiasis infe ction on the immune response of these infants to vaccination.