The effect of concurrent use of hepatitis B and Bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccination on anti-hepatitis B response.

Author(s): Artan R, Erol M, Velipasaoglu S, Yegin O

Affiliation(s): Department of Pediatrics, Akdeniz Universitesi, Tip Fakultesi, Cocuk Sagligi ve Hastaliklari Anabilim Dali, 07070, Antalya, Turkey. artan@akdeniz.edu.tr

Publication date & source: 2004-12, Saudi Med J., 25(12):1939-42.

Publication type: Clinical Trial; Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE: Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is given at 2-months of age; diphtheria toxoid, tetanus toxoid, whole cell pertussis, oral polio are given at 2, 3, 4 months, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine is given at 3, 4, 9 months of age. The aim was to evaluate the sero-protection rate of HBV vaccine which has been given at 2, 3, and 9 months of age and coincided with BCG vaccine at the first dose. METHODS: Hepatitis B virus vaccine was administered to 3 groups of infants at 2, 3, 9 months (n=20), 3, 4, 9 months (n=20) concurrently with BCG or other vaccines, and at 0, 1, 6 months with no other coinciding another vaccine (n=20). These 60 infants who were born between June 2001 and September 2001 have been vaccinated at the Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey. Antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The simultaneous administration of BCG and HBV vaccines did not influence the immune response to HBV vaccine. We showed that all 3 schedules can induce the sero-protective levels of antibody concentrations to HBV both one month and one year after the vaccination. CONCLUSION: Bacille Calmette-Guerin and HBV vaccinations can be performed at the same time in endemic countries.