Prevalence of Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection Among Children in Uzbekistan: Impact of Vaccination.

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Vaccine, 2025, v. 48: Prevalence of Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection Among Children in Uzbekistan: Impact of Vaccination.
• Journal Article:
  Vaccine
• Personal Author:
  Khetsuriani, Nino ; Tursunova, Dilorom ; Kasimova, Rano ; Sharapov, Saidkhon ; Stewart, Brock ; Matyakubov, Mansurbek ; Latipov, Renat ; Mosina, Liudmila ; Yusupaliyev, Bakhodir ; Musabaev, Erkin
• Description:
  Uzbekistan, a highly endemic country for hepatitis B virus (HBV), introduced infant vaccination with hepatitis B vaccine (HepB) in 2001. Since 2002, it had ≥90 % reported immunization coverage for ≥3 doses of HepB (HepB3) and the birth dose (HepB-BD). However, the impact of HepB vaccination and the progress towards achieving the regional hepatitis B control and global viral hepatitis B elimination goals had not been assessed.
  
  To determine current HBsAg prevalence among children in Uzbekistan, in 2022, we conducted a nationwide serosurvey among schoolchildren (grades 1-3) using a stratified, multi-stage cluster design. Participants' basic demographics and HepB immunization information were obtained. Blood specimens were tested for HBsAg using a WHO-prequalified rapid test (Bioline HBsAg WB, Abbott Diagnostics). Samples with positive and indeterminate results were tested for HBsAg by ELISA (Murex HBsAg Version3, Diasorine). Weighted proportions and adjusted 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.
  
  Of 4119 children enrolled in 148 schools, blood was collected from 3753 (91.1 %) and immunization data were available for 3833 (93.3 %). National HBsAg prevalence was 0.20 % (adjusted 95 % CI, 0.09 %-0.38 %). Among children with available immunization data, 97.7 % (97.2 %-98.1 %) received ≥3 HepB doses and 94.9 % (94.1 %-95.5 %) received HepB-BD, including timely HepB-BD in 93.7 % (92.9 %-94.5 %).
  
  The survey demonstrated that Uzbekistan has met the <0.5 % European regional HBsAg seroprevalence target and has made substantial progress towards meeting the <0.1 % HBsAg seroprevalence target for the elimination of HBV mother to-child transmission (MTCT). Based on these findings and ≥ 90 % HepB-BD and HepB3 coverage, in 2023, Uzbekistan was validated as having achieved the regional hepatitis B control goal. To achieve the elimination of MTCT of HBV, additional interventions, including improving antenatal screening for HBsAg, providing antiviral treatment of eligible HBsAg-positive pregnant women and hepatitis B immunoglobulin to infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers, should be considered.
• Content Notes:
  Author manuscript
• Subjects:
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Male
  • Hepatitis B Vaccines
  • Child
  • Prevalence
  • Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
  • Hepatitis B, Chronic
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Vaccination
  More +
• Keywords:
  • Hepatitis B
  • Serosurvey
  • Uzbekistan
  • HBsAg prevalence
  • Viral hepatitis
  • Viral hepatitis elimination
  • Hepatitis B vaccination
• Source:
  Vaccine, 2025, v. 48
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.126743
• ISSN:
  0264-410X ; 1873-2518
• Pubmed ID:
  39862544
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC12875403
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  001/WHO_/World Health OrganizationInternational/ ; CC999999/ImCDC/Intramural CDC HHSUnited States/ ; GH002145/CC/CDC HHSUnited States/
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Uzbekistan
• Pages in Document:
  126743 (19 pdf pages)
• Volume:
  48
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/261739/cdc_261739_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.04 MB]
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:4497ea4d7ed22baaddf6e58fa2bbe9220bf299d181bf4987fd5e7410ead2e059526cf8eafd746208ee92fcba691433702648ea62320232a8aa09141d18c71f69