Hepatitis B vaccination: half dose recombinant DNA hepatitis B vaccine (B-Hepavac II) is as immunogenic as the full recommended dose in healthy adults.
Sixty-seven healthy adult volunteers aged 20-40 years with no previous exposure to hepatitis B virus were randomized to receive either a 10 micrograms or 5 micrograms dose of recombinant DNA hepatitis B (HB) vaccine (B-Hepavac II) intramuscularly at 0, 1 and 6 months. Two months after the third injection 100% of subjects had seroconverted: 97% of the 10 micrograms group and 91% of the 5 micrograms group had antibody to HB surface antigen (anti-HBs) levels greater than 10 iu/L. The geometric mean titres (GMT) of anti-HBs levels at this time were 891 iu/L in the 10 micrograms dose group and 923 iu/L in the 5 micrograms dose group. These differences were not significant. Adverse effects included fever and mild pain at the injection site. The reduced dose of 5 micrograms was as effective as the standard 10 micrograms dose.
Guan
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Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore.
Yap
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Tay
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D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000032:analysis; D004274:DNA, Recombinant / Q000276:immunology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000009:adverse effects; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology
D004274:DNA, Recombinant; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D000410:Alanine Transaminase