Hepatitis B vaccine in the expanded programme of immunisation: The Gambian experience. The Gambia Hepatitis Study Group.

As part of the Gambia Hepatitis Intervention Study, hepatitis B vaccine has been integrated into the national Expanded Programme of Immunisation (EPI) without major changes to the schedule of immunisation or to the mechanism of delivery. Serological results on a sample of vaccinated children at one year of age show that the strategy has been effective in reducing the prevalence of persistently infected children. The number of non-responders to the vaccine is low (less than 2%) and the antibody concentrations attained in responding children should give adequate protection when they are at high risk of persistent hepatitis B infection. Integration of hepatitis B vaccine into the EPI is feasible and effective in Africa.