Effectiveness of the South African Program of Immunization against Hepatitis B in Children Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 living in a resource-limited setting of Kwazulu-Natal.

This survey showed low rates of HBV chronic infection in HIV-infected and uninfected children living in a RLS of KZN province. The vertical and horizontal transmissions before 5 years of age decreased in both cohorts since the introduction of the HBV vaccine. Due to their weaker immune system, HIV-infected children had lower anti-HBs rates than the HIV-uninfected patients. Without establishing regular monitoring of their immunity and adaptation of the vaccine schedule, prevalence of HBV could stay high in SA despite optimal vaccination coverage in HIV-infected patients. 1.World Health Organization, 2014. HIV/AIDS (Accessed January 2016). http://www.who.int/hiv/en/ 2.Phung BC, Sogni P, Launay O. 2014 Hepatitis B and human immunodeficiency virus co-infection. World J Gastroenterol. 14;20(46):17360-7. 3.Healy SA, Gupta S, Melvin AJ. 2013. HIV/HBV coinfection in children and antiviral therapy. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 11(3):251-63. 4.Amponsah-Dacosta E, Lebelo RL, Rakgole JN, Burnett RJ, Selabe SG, Mphahlele MJ. 2014. Evidence for a change in the epidemiology of hepatitis B virus infection after nearly two decades of universal hepatitis B vaccination in South Africa. J Med Virol. 86(6):918-24. 5.Simani OE, Leroux-Roels G, François G, Burnett RJ, Meheus A, Mphahlele MJ. 2009. Reduced detection and levels of protective antibodies to hepatitis B vaccine in under 2-year-old HIV positive South African children at a paediatric outpatient clinic. Vaccine. 1;27(1):146-51