title: Very low dose hepatitis B vaccination in the newborn: anamnestic response to booster at four years.
abstract: Seventy-eight children who had received three very low doses (1 or 2 microg) of Merck, Sharp and Dohme (MSD) plasma-derived vaccine (PDV) in early infancy were followed to approximately four years of age. Of the 70 who had responded to the initial course of vaccine with measurable anti-HBs, levels had fallen to below 10 mlU/ml in 38% of subjects given 1 microg doses and in 17% of those who had been given 2 microg doses. None of the children were positive for anti-HBc. Two weeks after 2 microg dose of MSD recombinant DNA (rDNA) vaccine all subjects had more than 10 mlU/ml of anti-HBs, with 90% exceeding 1,000 mlU/ml. A response to hepatitis B vaccine in infancy is followed by an effective immunological memory for several years, even if anti-HBs falls to low levels. The rDNA hepatitis B vaccine (MSD) in 2 microg doses is an effective booster following a primary course of plasma derived vaccine.
authors: Hepatitis Research Unit, Whakatane Hospital, New Zealand.
authors: C D
authors: CD
authors: Moyes
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Milne
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Waldon
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014611:Vaccination; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines