title: Absence of hepatitis B surface antigenemia after vaccination.
abstract: Vaccination against hepatitis B is readily available and provides safe and effective immunization for individuals at increased risk for this disease. However, since the available vaccines employ a protein consisting of hepatitis B surface antigen, the question has arisen whether a detectable surface antigenemia might occur in recently vaccinated individuals. Employing two current immunoassays for hepatitis B surface antigen, we could not detect this marker in individuals either 1 hour or 24 hours after vaccination. We therefore conclude that the presence of surface antigen in the blood cannot be attributed to recent vaccination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048-0750.
authors.forename: W N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Katkov
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ault
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Dubin
mesh_terms: D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D013997:Time Factors; D014611:Vaccination; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines