title: Active immunization against hepatitis B: immunogenicity study in homosexual men.
abstract: In a group of 238 homosexual men a hepatitis B vaccine developed at the National Reference Center for Viral Hepatitis (Göttingen/Germany) was evaluated. The vaccine was well tolerated. Three intramuscular injections of inactivated HBsAg (subtype ad; 11300 Natl. Units/dose) induced antibody production in 89.7% of the subjects. Four participants exhibited signs of hepatitis B infection. Vaccine recipients younger than 30 years produced higher antibody levels than older vaccinees. More than one half of the subjects who had only anti-HBs (anti-HBc negative) prior to immunization did not show an anamnestic booster response but formed IgM-anti-HBs. Antibody levels were significantly lower in anti-HBs negative/anti-HBc positive recipients than in subjects who had only anti-HBs or no hepatitis B markers. Immunological studies of T and B cell function did not provide conclusive evidence for the underlying cause of the different immune responses.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007110:Immunity, Active; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines