medical and biological sciences - Collegium Medicum - Uniwersytet ...

Impact of mandatory vaccination program against HBV on epidemiology of HBV and HCV infections in children... 41was considered infected with HBV if the presence ofHBsAg antigen or anti-HBc-IgM antibodies was observedin two consecutive tests. HCV infection wasdiagnosed on a basis of two consecutive positive resultsfor anti-HCV antibodies.RESULTSAmong 305 patients, 3 were found to be HBV positive,which was at the level of 0,98% of the total numberof patients. All of these patients were already infectedat the time of the first admission to the hospital.No HBV infection occurred during anticancer treatmentin our clinic. Two out of the 3 patients had beentransferred from another hospital. All HBV infectedpatients were born before 1995, thus no HBV infectionswere observed among patients included in themandatory vaccination program against HBV in neonatesand infants.HCV infections occurred in 4 cases (1,3%). Out ofthese, 3 patients were infected during anticancer treatment.Three out of 4 HCV positive patients belongedthe group of children born prior to 1995 (Fig. 1). SimultaneousHBV and HCV infections were not observed.DISCUSSIONThe study shows that the occurrence of HBV andHCV infections in pediatric oncology ward has beenunder control since the vaccination program of neonatesand infants was introduced. The number of HBVinfections has diminished from 62,6% to 0,98%, whilethe occurrence of HCV infections has been reducedfrom 54,3% to 1,3% (Fig. 2).80%60%40%20%0%62,20%0,98%HBV54,30%1,30%HCVprior to theintroduction,przedafter theintroduction, powprowadzeniuFig. 2. The reduction of HBV and HCV infections after theintroduction of the mandatory vaccination programof neonates and infantsRyc. 2. Obniżenie odsetka zakażeń HBV i HCV po wprowadzeniuprogramu obowiązkowych szczepień noworodkówi niemowląt5432100 13 3HBVHCVborn in1995and after,urodzeni w1995 i późniejborn prior to1995, urodzeniprzed 1995Fig. 1. The infected patients in the group of patients bornprior to 1995 and in the group of patients born after1995Ryc. 1. Zakażeni pacjenci z grupy urodzonych przed rokiem1995 i z grupy urodzonych późniejIn order to evaluate the significance of vaccinationprior to neoplastic disease, titers of anti-HBs antibodieswere assessed. Out of 159 patients, who underwentroutine vaccination against HBV as neonates and infants,150 (94%) children were anti-HBs positive. Theprotective level of anti-HBs, as considered by the titer>100 IU/L, was observed in 72 patients, i.e. in 48% ofanti-HBs positive patients. Only 9 out of 159 vaccinatedpatients did not respond to vaccination havinganti-HBs titer