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Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health
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Hepatitis B Infection in Vanuatu: Age of Acquisition of Infection and Possible Routes of Transmission

Richard Taylor

Formerly Epidemiologist, South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia Presently Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Health University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia

Bernard Montaville

Formerly Epidemiologist, Department of Health, Port Vila, Vanuatu

Sue Levy

Formerly Health Surveys Epidemiologist, South Pacific Commission Noumea, New Caledonia

Ian Gust

Director, Macfarlane Burnet Centre for Medical Research

Jean-Paul Moreau

Director, Institut Pasteur, Noumea, New Caledonia

Mary Dimitrakakis

Macfarlane Burnet Centre for Medical Research, Fairfield Hospital for Infectious Diseases Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Francois Bach

Epidemiologist, South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia

B. Brethes

Institut Pasteur, Noumea, New Caledonia

M. Laille

Institut Pasteur, Noumea, New Caledonia

Denise DeRoeck

South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia

Seroepidemiological studies of hepatitis B were carried out on diverse groups of children (477) and adults (629) from the Pacific Island country of Vanuatu. In children under 14 years, prevalences of HBsAg and of all markers were 6% and 53.3% respectively; in adults 20 years the prevalences were 15% and 70%. Age specific prevalence of hepatitis B infection (all markers) was low in infancy (< 1 year) but rose sharply afterwards, suggesting that the main mechanism of transmission was horizontal spread. This finding is consistent with other developing country studies from the Pacific Islands and elsewhere. In view of the main ages and mechanisms of transmission of hepatitis B in children in developing countries and the need for simple and inexpensive immunisation strategies in this context, it is recommended that mass vaccination of all infants with hepatitis B vaccine be undertaken in hyperendemic areas.

Key Words: hepatitis B • hepatitis B antigen • hepatitis B antibody • Vanuatu • Pacific Islands • children • age of acquisition of infection • immunisation strategies

Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health, Vol. 3, No. 3, 205-212 (1989)
DOI: 10.1177/101053958900300306
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