Intradermal hepatitis B vaccination in thalassaemia.
Fifty six children with thalassaemia, and 118 healthy subjects, who had all been immunised with an intramuscular injection of hepatitis B vaccine (HB-VAX) into the deltoid area three years previously, were given booster doses intradermally. All responders (good = hepatitis B surface (HBs) antibody titre greater than or equal to 10 U/l; poor = HBs antibody titre less than 10 U/l) showed pronounced increase in anti-HBs titre, in many cases above 1000 U/l. We also found positive HBs antibody response after further doses (two to four) at intervals of 15 days in non-responders (those patients who formerly had shown no HBs antibody titre after the conventional schedule of vaccination). The humoral response was always preceded by a delayed tissue hypersensitivity reaction. In conclusion, vaccine against hepatitis B virus given in low doses intradermally produces an effective immune response; it is a useful method of enhancing the antibody response in exposed patients, and of vaccinating those who do not respond initially.
Leonardi
S
S
Department of Paediatrics, University of Catania, Italy.
Leggio
T
T
Sciacca
A
A
Di Gregorio
F
F
Musumeci
S
S
D000917:Antibody Formation; D002648:Child; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007271:Injections, Intradermal; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000276:immunology*; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines