Immune response to hepatitis B revaccination.
Two hundred and twelve individuals who failed to respond or responded poorly to hepatitis B vaccination or whose anti-HBs levels had dropped below 10 IU/L at follow-up were revaccinated. Only 18% of initial nonresponders, but 96% of those who responded initially, developed anti-HBs above 10 IU/L after revaccination. In 85% of vaccinees, anti-HBs titres after a fourth immunization were significantly higher than after completion of the first full immunization course, and despite a steeper decline of antibody levels after revaccination, anti-HBs seemed to persist better than after the initial course of three inoculations. All individuals who responded initially and in whom anti-HBs had become undetectable developed antibodies. Response to booster doses was seen after three to five days, and a fifth inoculation given to 23 individuals induced even better responses.
Jilg
W
W
Max von Pettenkofer Institute for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, University of Munich, Federal Republic of Germany.
Schmidt
M
M
Deinhardt
F
F
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines