Nationwide hepatitis B vaccination program in Taiwan: Effectiveness in the 20 years after it was launched
Journal
Epidemiologic Reviews
Journal Volume
28
Journal Issue
1
Pages
126-135
Date Issued
2006
Author(s)
Abstract
The national hepatitis B vaccination program in Taiwan is considered one of the most successful and effective public health programs to control chronic hepatitis B infection in the past 20 years. This review illustrates how to implement a successful hepatitis B vaccination program based on Taiwan's experience. Several important controlled randomized clinical trials on hepatitis B immunoglobulin and vaccine in Taiwan demonstrated an 80-90% protective effect among infants of mothers who were positive for either hepatitis B envelope antigen or hepatitis B surface antigen. A series of prevalence surveys on children born before and after the national vaccination program began disclosed a steady decrease in seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen in Taiwan, with 78-87% effectiveness after the national vaccination program was launched. Studies on the secular trend of liver disease risk also documented a 68% decline in mortality from fulminant hepatitis in infants and a 75% decrease in the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in children 6-9 years of age after the national vaccination program began. In conclusion, since 1984, the national hepatitis B vaccination program has been successful in preventing acute and chronic liver diseases in Taiwan. Copyright ? 2006 by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health All rights reserved.
Subjects
Hepatitis B vaccines; Liver diseases; Program evaluation; Public health; Regional health planning; Taiwan; Treatment outcome; Vaccination
SDGs
Other Subjects
diphtheria pertussis tetanus vaccine; hepatitis B antibody; hepatitis B antigen; hepatitis B vaccine; measles vaccine; antibody titer; clinical trial; diarrhea; drug safety; fever; health insurance; health program; hepatitis B; Hepatitis B virus; human; immunization; immunogenicity; liver carcinoma; mortality; outcome assessment; priority journal; review; risk assessment; seroprevalence; skin redness; Taiwan; treatment outcome; vaccination; vertical transmission; virus envelope; virus transmission; Child; Communicable Disease Control; Hepatitis B Antibodies; Hepatitis B Antigens; Hepatitis B Vaccines; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis B, Chronic; Humans; Immunization Programs; National Health Programs; Program Evaluation; Randomized Controlled Trials; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Taiwan
Type
review