title: The immune response of healthy adults to a reduced dose of hepatitis B vaccine.
abstract: Three hundred thirty-six medical personnel from hemodialysis centers were treated with three doses, 20 microgram each, of the Merck hepatitis B vaccine (at 0, 1, and 6 months). Within 1 month after the first injection, 41% converted to anti-HBs positivity; after the second injection the conversion rate rose to 80-90%; and after the booster, to 96-98%. The later rate remained unchanged during the 18-month follow-up period. Only 2.8% of those vaccinated did not respond to the vaccine. The patterns of immune responses to 20-microgram doses were found to be exactly the same as to 40-microgram doses. It is suggested that reduced doses of vaccine should be as efficacious as the larger ones.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D014611:Vaccination; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D014765:Viral Vaccines