| Journal Call no. | R97.H66 |
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| Author | Chan, C. |
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| Article Title | Update on recommendations for post-vaccination testing and boosters after hepatitis B vaccination / C. Chan. |
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| Is Part Of | Hong Kong practitioner ; v.20, no.9, Sep 1998, p.492-496, +4p., illus. |
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| Abstract | It has been ten years since the introduction of universal hepatitis B (HBV) immunization of all newborns in Hong Kong. The article reviews the literature on the hepatitis vaccine, its duration of protection and whether boosters are required. Follow-up studies of up to ten years post-vaccination showed that immune memory and protection against chronic infection and carrier state remain intact for at least a decade in the majority of healthy subjects under the age of 40-50. Post-vaccination testing for antibody level to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBS) is only cost-effective for health care workers or for persons who are at high risk of recurrent percutaneous and/or permucosal exposures. However, immunocompromised or dialysis patients at risk will require regular testing of antibody levels and administration of boosters. |
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