Ben Hadj M, Bouguerra H, Saffar F, Chelly S, Hechaichi A, Talmoudi K, Bahrini A, Chouki T, Hazgui O, Hannachi N, Letaief H, Bellali H, Bahri O, Ben-Alaya-Bouafif N. Observational study of vaccine effectiveness 20 years after the introduction of universal hepatitis B vaccination in Tunisia.
Vaccine 2018;
36:5858-5864. [PMID:
30145100 DOI:
10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.08.038]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this study were to estimate the national prevalence of hepatitis B infection in Tunisia using data from a nationwide survey, to compare results with those obtained in 1996 survey and to evaluate the impact of vaccination twenty years after its introduction.
METHODS
A National household-based cross sectional and serological survey was undertaken in 2015 from randomly selected districts using two-stage sampling. Data collection was performed using standardized and pretested questionnaires and collected blood samples were tested for markers of hepatitis B virus infection.
RESULTS
National point prevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen was 1.7% (95% CI [1.6-1.9%]). The highest prevalence was found in the Center and South regions with respectively 2.3% (95% CI [2.0-2.7%]) and 2.2% (95% CI [1.8-2.8%]). Vaccine effectiveness (VE) was 88.6% (95% CI [81.5-93.0%]) and was higher among population aged less than 20 years 96.1% (95% CI [70.1-99.5%]) than those aged more than 20 years 59.0% (95% CI [32.0-75.3%]). VE was 85.6% (95% CI [65.8-93.9%]) is hyper-endemic areas and 89.1% (95% CI [80.3-94.0%]) in meso-endemic and hypo-endemic areas.
CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen decreased compared to previous estimations and classify Tunisia as a low endemic country as result to the introduction of vaccination since 1995.
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