title: Worldwide experience with the CR326F-derived inactivated hepatitis A virus vaccine in pediatric and adult populations: an overview.
abstract: The worldwide experience to date with VAQTA, a highly purified formalin-inactivated hepatitis A vaccine containing alum-adjuvant, is reviewed. No serious adverse experience related to vaccination has been reported. The vaccine has proven highly immunogenic, with seroconversion detectable after a single dose in 90-99% of children 2-16 years old, and of adults under 77 kg (170 lb) body weight. There is a trend toward lower one-dose seroconversion rates with increasing age and with weight > 77 kg. Early seroconversion in the latter groups may require two 25-unit doses given 2, 4 or 8 weeks apart, or a higher priming dose. Seroconversion induced by this vaccine has been shown to signify protection from clinical hepatitis A disease. The few vaccines whose titers have waned to borderline levels responded anamnestically to a booster, suggesting that the vaccine induces an immune memory response and should provide long-term protection.
authors.affiliation: Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, PA.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Nalin
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Kuter
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Calandra
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Werzberger
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shouval
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ellerbeck
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Block
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bishop
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006507:Hepatovirus; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines