title: Persistence of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen after low-dose, intradermal hepatitis B immunization and response to a booster dose.
abstract: To determine the duration of antibody after low-dose, intradermal (i.d.), plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccination and the response to a booster dose, we studied two classes of medical students who were immunized with 2 micrograms doses i.d. In one class, 73/88 (85%) who had been immunized by skilled personnel at 0, 1 and 6 months, had protective concentrations (greater than or equal to 10 mIU ml-1) of anti-HBs at 20 months after the first dose. Twelve (92%) out of 13 students who received only two doses at 0 and 1 months also had protective concentrations at month 20. At month 27, 11/16 (69%) with antibody less than or equal to 10 mIU ml-1 responded to a fourth dose of 2 micrograms i.d. with protective concentrations of anti-HBs. In the second class, after three doses of vaccine at 0, 1, and 6 months, protective concentrations of anti-HBs were present in 90/93 (97%) at 14 months and in 71/80 (89%) at 25 months. In those who received only two doses, protective concentrations were found in 24/31 (74%) at 14 months and 9/16 (56%) at 25 months. After a booster dose of 2 micrograms i.d. at month 25, anti-HBs concentrations rose from a geometric mean of 78 to 1198 mIU ml-1 in 60 subjects previously immunized with three doses and from 18 to 1054 mIU ml-1 in 16 students previously immunized with only two doses. Overall, 73/76 (96%) of students in the second group had protective concentrations of antibody after the booster dose.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814-5100.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bryan
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Sjogren
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Macarthy
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Legters
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Perine
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007271:Injections, Intradermal; D008297:Male; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines