Immune response to an indigenously developed hepatitis-B (Shanvac-B) vaccine in a tribal community of India.

Hepatitis-B infection is highly endemic among the primitive tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. A pilot project of hepatitis-B vaccination using indigenously developed (Shanvac-B) was initiated among the Nicobarese tribe in Car Nicobar Island. The 936 individuals negative for HBsAg and anti-HBs were administered three doses of the vaccine at 0, 1 and 6 months. The vaccine was found to be safe and efficacious with sero-protection rates of 49.1, 86.9 and 96.7% after first, second and third dose. Considering the high endemicity of the infection and small number of the tribal population, it is necessary to initiate hepatitis-B vaccination programme for this community. Since the vaccine was found to be cost-effective, it could be adopted for hepatitis-B vaccination in this community.