@article{Sami_Salama_Abdel-Latif_El Etreby_Metwally_Abd El haliem_2016, title={Hepatitis B Seroprotection and the Response to a Challenging Dose among Vaccinated Children in Red Sea Governorate}, volume={4}, url={https://oamjms.eu/index.php/mjms/article/view/oamjms.2016.043}, DOI={10.3889/oamjms.2016.043}, abstractNote={<p><strong>AIM: </strong>To assess the long-term effectiveness of hepatitis B virus vaccine and the need for a booster dose among children who received three doses of vaccine during infancy in Red Sea Governorate.</p><p><strong>METHODS: </strong>A cross-sectional study was performed. Interviews with children (9 months to 16 years) and parents were done. Blood samples to assess Hepatitis B markers were tested. Children showing no seroprotection received a booster dose to assess their anamnestic response after four weeks and one year later. <strong></strong></p><p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>None of the participants had evidence of chronic Hepatitis B. The seroprotection rate was 23.3% and it significantly decreased with age. Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that older age was the significant predicting variable for having no seroprotective level, while baseline anti-HBs level < 3.3 IU/L was the predicting variable for not developing early anamnestic response or loss of late anamnestic response. <strong></strong></p><strong>CONCLUSION: </strong>Long-term immunity persists among children who received complete series of hepatitis B vaccination during infancy even in absence or reduction of anti-HBs over time. Therefore, a booster dose is not necessary to maintain immunity till the age of sixteen.}, number={2}, journal={Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences}, author={Sami, Samia M. and Salama, Iman I. and Abdel-Latif, Ghada A. and El Etreby, Lobna A. and Metwally, Ahmed I. and Abd El haliem, Naglaa F.}, year={2016}, month={May}, pages={219–225} }