Hepatitis B infant immunization protects through adolescent years

A seroprotective response to a challenge dose of hepatitis B vaccine was seen in more than 90% of study participants who received the vaccine an infant, according to recent study findings published in Pediatrics. Amy B. Middleman, MD, MSEd, MPH, an Infectious Diseases in Children Editorial Board member, and colleagues evaluated 420 adolescents aged 16 to 19 years who received a recombinant hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine three-dose series to determine protective titers of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) before and after a challenge dose of the vaccine. Participants were divided in to two groups, those who had the series initiation within 7 days of birth (group 1) or at 4 weeks or more following birth (group 2). Participants in group 1 were younger, less likely to be white and less likely to have private insurance compared with group 2. Participants in group 2 were more likely to report cigarette...