Vaccine against hepatitis B in children: prevention of hepatitis in a pediatric hemodialysis unit.

In a pediatric hemodialysis unit, 10 children (aged 1 to 14 years) with chronic renal failure were immunized against hepatitis B infection (HB) by means of a vaccine. The vaccine was prepared by purification of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HGs Ag) from human sera and was formalin inactivated. Seven children were undergoing periodic hemodialysis and three were still managed with conservative treatment. There HBs Ag chronic carriers children were also dialysed in the unit and therefore represented a permanent high risk of HB for the whole unit. All the vaccinated children sero-converted for antibody to HBs Ag (anti-HBs) after vaccination. A follow-up from 16 to 33 months did not evidence clinical, biological and serological sign of hepatitis B in the vaccinated children. Presence of anti-HGs and absence of appearance of hepatitis B following immunization suggest that hepatitis B vaccine has represented for these children an effective means of prevention against hepatitis B infection.