Published online December 1, 2008
PEDIATRICS Vol. 122 No. 6 December 2008, pp. 1223-1228 (doi:10.1542/peds.2007-2559)
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Stadler, L. P.
Right arrow Articles by Staat, M. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Stadler, L. P.
Right arrow Articles by Staat, M. A.
Related Collections
Right arrow Infectious Disease & Immunity
Right arrowRelated AAP Red Book topics:
Hepatitis B
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Facebook   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

ARTICLE

Hepatitis B Virus Screening for Internationally Adopted Children

Laura Patricia Stadler, MEd, MD, MSa,b, Adam G. Mezoff, MDc and Mary Allen Staat, MD, MPHa,b,d

a Department of Pediatrics
b Division of Infectious Diseases
d International Adoption Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
c Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Children's Medical Center, Dayton, Ohio

OBJECTIVES. The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis B virus protection, infection, and recovery among internationally adopted children and to examine the need for repeat testing 6 months after arrival in the United States.

METHODS. From November 1999 through October 2006, 1282 international adoptees were screened for hepatitis B virus, and results were examined with regard to age, gender, and birth country. The prevalence of hepatitis B virus protection, infection, and recovery was determined.

RESULTS. The prevalence of hepatitis B virus in internationally adopted children at our large international adoption center was 4%, including 1.1% with acute or chronic infection and 2.9% with resolved infection. Overall, 64% of internationally adopted children had evidence of hepatitis B virus immunization, with protective antibodies. We also report a case that highlights the need for repeat serological testing to detect hepatitis B virus infection or immunization in internationally adopted children who might have been infected or vaccinated just before adoption and thus not have serological evidence in initial testing.

CONCLUSIONS. These data reinforce the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations regarding hepatitis B virus screening and infection control measures for international adoptees.

Key Words: international adoption • hepatitis B • serological testing • vaccine-preventable disease

Abbreviations: HBV—hepatitis B virus • anti-HBs—antibody to hepatitis B virus surface antigen • anti-HBc—antibody to hepatitis B virus core antigen • HBsAg—hepatitis B virus surface antigen • IAC—internationally adopted children • CCHMC—Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center • CDC—Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Accepted Mar 3, 2008.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Facebook Facebook   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?