title: Immunization of US soldiers with a two-dose primary series of inactivated hepatitis A vaccine: early immune response, persistence of antibody, and response to a third dose at 1 year.
abstract: To study the feasibility of using inactivated hepatitis A vaccine for rapid immunization of US soldiers, 276 randomized seronegative volunteers received one of four regimens: two injections, on day 0 or one each on day 0 and 14, day 0 and 30, or day 0 and 180. A third dose was given on day 380. Among the 256 recipients of two doses, 99% responded with antibody (by ELISA) with few symptoms. A higher percentage of recipients of both doses on day 0 had antibody at day 14 (68% vs. 52% of all others, P < .03). The highest antibody concentrations (711 mIU/mL on day 240) were observed in subjects given a second dose on day 180. Recipients of the third injection developed a median 15-fold rise in antibody within 2 weeks. Virus-neutralizing antibody was detected in high titers after the third dose and neutralized strains of hepatitis A virus from several countries. Vaccines containing 1440 ELISA units of antigen may be useful for rapid immunization.
authors.affiliation: Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, DC 20307-5100.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: DeFraites
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Feighner
authors.forename: L N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Binn
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Kanjarpane
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Delem
authors.forename: P O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: MacArthy
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Krauss
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: G I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Moonsammy
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hoke
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines; D017957:Hepatitis A Virus, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D014861:Washington
chemical_list: D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines