Low immune response to hepatitis B vaccine among children in Dakar, Senegal.

Marie-Anne Rey-Cuille (1, 2) , Abdoulaye Seck (3) , Richard Njouom (4) , Loïc Chartier (1) , Housseyn Dembel Sow (5) , Ba Mamadou (5) , Amadou Sidy Ka (6) , Mohamadou Njankouo (4) , Dominique Rousset (4) , Tamara Giles-Vernick (1) , Guillemette Unal (1) , Jean-Marie Sire (3, 7) , Benoît Garin (3) , François Simon (7) , Muriel Vray (1, 8)

1 Epidémiologie des Maladies Emergentes - Emerging Diseases Epidemiology
2 Institut des Sciences Biologiques, CNRS
3 Institut Pasteur de Dakar
4 Centre Pasteur du Cameroun
5 Hôpital d'Enfants Albert Royer
6 Service de pédiatrie
7 Département de virologie
8 LEASP - Epidémiologie et analyses en santé publique : risques, maladies chroniques et handicaps

HBV vaccine was introduced into the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in Senegal and Cameroon in 2005. We conducted a cross-sectional study in both countries to assess the HBV immune protection among children. All consecutive children under 4 years old, hospitalized for any reason between May 2009 and May 2010, with an immunisation card and a complete HBV vaccination, were tested for anti-HBs and anti-HBc. A total of 242 anti-HBc-negative children (128 in Cameroon and 114 in Senegal) were considered in the analysis. The prevalence of children with anti-HBs ≥ 10 IU/L was higher in Cameroon with 92% (95% CI: 87%-97%) compared to Senegal with 58% (95% CI: 49%-67%), (p<0.001). The response to vaccination in Senegal was lower in 2006-2007 (43%) than in 2008-2009 (65%), (p = 0.028). Our results, although not based on a representative sample of Senegalese or Cameroonian child populations, reveal a significant problem in vaccine response in Senegal. This response problem extends well beyond hepatitis B: the same children who have not developed an immune response to the HBV vaccine are also at risk for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTwP) and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). Field biological monitoring should be carried out regularly in resource-poor countries to check quality of the vaccine administered.

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

Marie-Anne Rey-Cuille, Abdoulaye Seck, Richard Njouom, Loïc Chartier, Housseyn Dembel Sow, et al.. Low immune response to hepatitis B vaccine among children in Dakar, Senegal.. PLoS ONE, 2012, 7 (5), pp.e38153. ⟨10.1371/journal.pone.0038153⟩. ⟨pasteur-00837823⟩