Olakunde BO, Ifeorah IM, Adeyinka DA et al.
Hepatitis B virus infection in Africa is mostly acquired before age five through vertical or horizontal transmission, yet the rate of protective immune response to hepatitis B vaccination among African children has not been systematically synthesized. This meta-analysis searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus through May 2022, identifying 1,063 records and including 29 studies covering 9,167 under-five children who completed a primary hepatitis B vaccination series. The pooled seroprotection rate was 89.23%, varying significantly by assay method, vaccine dose, and vaccine combination; children living with HIV had significantly lower odds of achieving seroprotection than HIV-negative children. The authors conclude that while most under-five children in Africa achieve seroprotection, rates are lower among children with HIV, calling for interventions to identify and address vaccine non-response in immunosuppressed children.
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