Targeted hepatitis B vaccination--a cost effective immunisation strategy for the UK?

OBJECTIVE

To compare the potential cost effectiveness of vaccination against hepatitis B virus (HBV) targeted at genitourinary clinic (GU) attendees with that of universal infant vaccination.

DESIGN

A mathematical model of sexual and perinatal transmission of HBV was used to compare the effectiveness among heterosexual and homosexual populations of programmes of mass infant vaccination and targeted immunisation of genitourinary medicine (GU) clinic attendees. Each was applied to 90% of the eligible population with differing assumptions about rates of compliance and seroconversion - problems of delivery (obtaining high compliance) was considered a significant drawback of targeted vaccination. Observed relationships between GU clinic attendance and sex partner change rates for heterosexuals and for homosexuals were used to define the rates of vaccination uptake within sexual activity risk groups.

SETTING

England and Wales.

RESULTS

Model results showed that for heterosexuals universal infant vaccination became more effective than clinic based vaccination only approximately 40 years after the start of the programme and that the predicted cost effectiveness of GU clinic vaccination was greater at all times. For homosexuals, clinic vaccination was always more effective over the time frame considered, but by 50 years if it were carried out without prior screening it had become appreciably less cost effective than a mass infant programme. With prior screening in GU clinics this cost effectiveness deficit was only marginal.

CONCLUSIONS

Targeted vaccination might have a much greater potential than is realised at present, particularly if it were possible to improve compliance of clinic attendees. A fuller comparison between mass infant and targeted vaccination must await the specific inclusion in the model of other risk groups such as intravenous drug users. An important determinant of the relative merits of the two approaches is the relationship between rates of attendance and of changing sexual partners. Further research on this is required.