title: Yeast-recombinant hepatitis B vaccine. Efficacy with hepatitis B immune globulin in prevention of perinatal hepatitis B virus transmission.
abstract: A yeast-recombinant hepatitis B vaccine was licensed recently by the Food and Drug Administration and is now available. To assess the efficacy of the yeast-recombinant vaccine, we administered the vaccine in combination with hepatitis B immune globulin to high-risk newborns. If infants whose mothers were positive for both hepatitis B surface antigen and the e antigen receive no immunoprophylaxis, 70% to 90% become infected with the virus, and almost all become chronic carriers. Among infants in this study who received hepatitis B immune globulin at birth and three 5-micrograms doses of yeast-recombinant hepatitis B vaccine, only 4.8% became chronic carriers, a better than 90% level of protection and a rate that is comparable with that seen with immune globulin and plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine. These data suggest that, in this high-risk setting, the yeast-recombinant vaccine is as effective as the plasma-derived vaccine in preventing hepatitis B virus infection and the chronic carrier state.
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012306:Risk; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines