Removing Universal Hep B Shot Likely to Increase Neonatal Infections

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By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, Senior Medical Editor, B. Pharm. Last updated on May 8, 2026.

via HealthDay

FRIDAY, May 8, 2026 -- Replacing universal vaccination with a targeted birth-dose vaccine recommendation for hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the United States will likely increase neonatal infections, according to a study published online April 27 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Margaret L. Lind, Ph.D., from the Boston University School of Public Health, and colleagues estimated the impact of replacing universal HBV birth-dose vaccination with a targeted recommendation on neonatal and subsequent chronic HBV infections in the United States in a simulated U.S. birth cohort (3,659,289 infants). The model was compared for universal birth-dose vaccination and targeted birth-dose vaccination, where the birth dose is recommended for infants of screened-positive or unscreened mothers and shared-decision making is recommended for infants of screened-negative mothers.

The researchers found that the universal birth-dose vaccine recommendation resulted in a median of 1,292 neonatal infections with the current maternal HBV screening rate of 86 percent. The targeted birth-dose vaccine recommendation was associated with 628 additional neonatal infections when birth-dose vaccination coverage among infants of unscreened mothers was 10 percent (mirroring historic coverage declines under a targeted recommendation) and 69 additional neonatal infections when birth-dose coverage was 80 percent (mirroring levels under a universal recommendation). More than 100,000 additional pregnant women would need to be screened if the birth-dose vaccination coverage among infants of unscreened mothers was 80 percent and more than 400,000 additional pregnant women would need to be screened if coverage was 10 percent to offset the excess infections under the targeted birth-dose vaccine recommendation.

"These findings reinforce the importance of universal birth-dose vaccine recommendations as a reliable and equitable strategy to prevent neonatal and chronic HBV infections and resultant downstream morbidity and mortality," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2026-05-09 02:11

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