title: Hepatitis B vaccination of relatives of hepatitis B virus DNA positive carriers: an experience with plasma-derived vaccine.
abstract: We assessed in a western population the efficacy of a plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine in relatives of highly infectious hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers. A consecutive group of 103 HbsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc negative household relatives of 45 HBV-DNA positive chronic carriers received a 5 micrograms dose of plasma-derived vaccine at 0, 1, 2 and 12 months. Protective levels of immunity developed in 101 subjects (97.8%) 3 months after boosting. Low responders to the vaccine were mostly found among parents and spouses of carriers, whilst offspring and siblings were usually high responders. The main discriminant in predicting a good response was age below 12 years. Hyporesponsiveness did not occur in family clusters. No major HBV events occurred among immunized relatives patients. Hepatitis B vaccine is safe and effective in immunizing relatives of HBV carriers while no genetic conditioning of the immune response is evident among them.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Medicina Generale e Pneumologia, Clinica Medica R, University of Palermo, Ospedale V. Cervello, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Craxì
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vinci
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Almasio
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pagliaro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015342:DNA Probes; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012307:Risk Factors; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines