title: Four-year experience with a recombinant hepatitis B vaccine.
abstract: Three hundred and forty-three healthy adults were vaccinated with five different lots of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine. Three hundred and forty (99.1%) individuals produced antibodies against hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs). Peak anti-HBs concentrations were significantly higher in females and younger individuals. All anti-HBs positive individuals developed antibodies to the common determinant "a" of HBsAg. The vaccine was well tolerated, without severe side reactions. Persistence of anti-HBs was followed in 130 individuals for 3, and in 15 for 4 years after the first vaccination of these two groups. 21.7% and 32.3%, respectively, no longer had protective levels of anti-HBs after this time. The persistence of anti-HBs was dependent on peak anti-HBs levels, with consistent kinetics of anti-HBs decline. Revaccination of individuals whose specific antibody levels had fallen below 10 IU/l led to a prompt anti-HBs response. Comparison with individuals vaccinated with plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine revealed no substantial differences between the two vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Max von Pettenkofer Institute for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, University of Munich.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jilg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Deinhardt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000917:Antibody Formation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014612:Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D014612:Vaccines; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines