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September 18, 2002

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Observational Study of Vaccine Efficacy 14 Years After Trial of Hepatitis B Vaccination in Gambian Children" British Medical Journal Online (www.bmj.com) (09/14/02); Whittle, Hilton

Results from an observational study that attempted to determine how long the hepatitis B vaccine protected Gambian children from infection found that vaccine efficacy against chronic infection was high.  According to the study, efficacy against chronic carriage of hepatitis B was 94 percent; this percentile did not vary between age groups.  Meanwhile, efficacy against infection was 80 percent in younger groups, but only 65 percent in the oldest age group, which included people between the ages of 56 and 73 years.  The researchers concluded that children vaccinated when they were babies have a higher chance of infection during their teen years, and they also recommended further research into the risk of chronic carriage after sexual exposure, to determine whether booster shots should be given.

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