Hepatitis B Seroprevalence among Egyptian University students in the postinfant compulsory vaccination period

Background
The three doses constituting the hepatitis B (HB) vaccine series administered intramuscularly at birth, 1 month, and 6 months induce a protective antibody response (anti-HBs >10 IU/l) in more than 90% of recipients.


Aim
To analyze the long-term immunity and effectiveness of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination and to detect hepatitis B infection situation and its risk factors among an adequate number of the university students in the postcompulsory infant vaccination period.


Patients and methods
A total of 400 university students (aged 17–25 years) were screened for quantitative detection of hepatitis B surface antibody, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs Ag), and total hepatitis B core antibody (HBc Ab) using commercially available kits. HBV DNA PCR was evaluated in repeatedly positive HBs Ag and/or total HBc Ab.


Results
Nonprotective titer less than 10 IU/l was detected in 218/400 (54.5%), whereas protective titer more than or equal to 10 IU/l was detected in 182/400 (45.5%). Overall, 29/400 (7.3%) were positive for HBs Ag and 50/400 (12.5%) were positive for total HBc Ab, whereas only six (1.5%) were positive for HBV DNA PCR. Moreover, 45/400 (11.4%) students had a history of HBV vaccine booster dose in the protective group.


Conclusions
Marked reduction in HBs Ab titer was observed among university students where nonprotective titer less than 10 IU/l was detected in 54.5%. Chronic HBV inactive carrier was detected in 5.3%, chronic hepatitis B was detected in 1.5%, and resolved HBV infection was detected in 11%.