Three-week hepatitis B vaccination provides protective immunity.
To determine whether a 3-week hepatitis B (HB) vaccination could achieve protective immunity, 89 healthy non-immunized young adults received three doses of 20 micrograms each of HBs antigen (GenHevac B, Pasteur) and were randomly assigned to schedule A (n = 44): two doses at day 0, one dose at day 21; or schedule B (n = 45): one dose at days 0, 10 and 21. Seroprotection rates (anti-HBs > or = 10 mIU ml-1) for groups A and B respectively were: 23 and 40% at day 21; and 77 and 91% at day 82 (not significant). Anti-HBs geometric mean titres were higher in group B than in group A (p < 0.05) at days 21 (6.4 versus 3.8) and 82 (77.6 versus 33.5). One year after primary vaccination, the seroprotection rate remained as high as 90% in the vaccinees of group B; after boosting all vaccinees had protective levels of anti-HBs antibodies. Thus 3-week HB vaccination with GenHevac B allowed early and durable protective immunity.
Marchou
B
B
Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicals, Hôpital Purpan, Toulouse, France.
Picot
N
N
Chavanet
P
P
Auvergnat
J C
JC
Armengaud
M
M
Devilliers
P
P
Cerisier
J E
JE
Marié
F N
FN
Excler
J L
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014611:Vaccination
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines