@article{3132210,
    title = "Seroepidemiology of hepatitis B in Greek children 6 years after the implementation of universal vaccination",
    author = "Papaevangelou, V. and Hadjichristodoulou, C. and Cassimos, D.C. and Pantelaki, K. and Tzivaras, A. and Hatzimichael, A.S. and Theodoridou, M.",
    journal = "INFECTIOUS DISEASES NOW",
    year = "2008",
    volume = "36",
    number = "2",
    pages = "135-139",
    doi = "10.1007/s15010-007-7096-6",
    keywords = "hepatitis B vaccine, age distribution;  article;  blood sampling;  child;  confidence interval;  geographic distribution;  Greece;  hepatitis B;  human;  immigrant;  immunization;  infant;  newborn;  seroepidemiology;  treatment outcome;  vaccination, Adolescent;  Analysis of Variance;  Chi-Square Distribution;  Child;  Child, Preschool;  Greece;  Hepatitis B;  Hepatitis B Antibodies;  Hepatitis B Core Antigens;  Hepatitis B Surface Antigens;  Hepatitis B Vaccines;  Hepatitis B virus;  Humans;  Infant;  Infant, Newborn;  Longitudinal Studies;  Mass Immunization;  Seroepidemiologic Studies",
    abstract = "The seroepidemiology of hepatitis B in children living in Greece 6 years post-implementation of universal infant immunization (1998) was studied. We collected 90-100 sera/year of age, stratified by geographic region. The prevalence of HbsAg(+) was 0.6% (95% CI 0.3-1.3) whereas 4.5% (95% CI 3.4-5.9%) of children over 12 months of age had evidence of past HBV infection. A significant decline in the prevalence of past infection between children born before and after 1998 (5.5% vs 2.9%; RR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.03-3.5) was noted. Conversely, the prevalence of past HBV infection did not change significantly among immigrant children. Reinforcement of early vaccination of immigrant population is necessary. © 2008 Urban & Vogel."
}