Author/Authors :
Zali, M-R. shahid beheshti university of medical sciences - Research Centre for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, تهران, ايران , Mohammad, K. Ministry of Health, ايران , Noorbala, A-A. Ministry of Health, ايران , Noorimayer, B. shahid beheshti university of medical sciences - Research Centre for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, تهران, ايران , Sahraz, S. shahid beheshti university of medical sciences - Research Centre for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, تهران, ايران
Abstract :
Universal vaccination of all neonates against hepatitis B virus has been implemented in the Islamic Republic of Iran since 1993.To evaluate the efficacy of the programme, 2 large seroepidemiologic surveys were conducted before and after mass vaccination on a representative sample of 1/1000 of the population.The overall seropositivity rate showed no significant decline between 1991 and 1999 but in the age group 2–14 years the rates reduced significantly (1.3% versus 0.8%, P 0.05). Interestingly, we observed a significantly higher decline in hepatitis B virus carrier rate in rural (1.5% versus 0.6%) than urban areas (1.1% versus 0.9%). Universal vaccination significantly decreased the carrier rate among young children in this country.
