title: Anti-pre-S2 antibody response in subjects vaccinated against hepatitis B and in naturally immunized subjects.
abstract: Serum samples from individuals immunized with a pepsinized or non-pepsinized vaccine and from patients who had recovered from acute hepatitis B or who developed a chronic form of the disease, were analysed for the presence of antibody against the pre-S2 epitope of the hepatitis B virus. Anti-pre-S2 antibody was absent in all but one individual immunized with the pepsinized vaccine. Thirty-eight percent of the subjects who responded by anti-HBs production to the non-pepsinized preparation showed anti-pre-S2 antibody one year after complete vaccination. Among subjects who did not produce anti-HBs after immunization with this vaccine, 1 single individual produced anti-pre-S2 antibody. Anti-preS2 antibody was detectable after one year in 38% of the patients who recovered from acute hepatitis B, but in none of those with chronic hepatitis B. The kinetics of anti-pre-S2 antibody response to a booster injection was also analysed 1 month and 1 year after the 3rd injection and 1 month after the 4th injection of the non-pepsinized vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Division d'Immunologie et d'Allergie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lavanchy
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fritzell
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Geudelin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peitrequin
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Frei
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000276:immunology*; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D011498:Protein Precursors; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines; C050807:presurface protein 2, hepatitis B surface antigen