title: A delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin reaction to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and intradermal hepatitis B vaccination.
abstract: The significance of a delayed type hypersensitivity skin reaction to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) (HBs-DTH) in type B viral hepatitis (VHB) and in intradermal hepatitis B (HB) vaccination is reviewed. HBs-DTH could be developed by the intradermal injection of HB vaccine in anti-HBs positive people and also in persons immunized with HB vaccine. Thus, HBs-DTH could serve as a useful marker for the acquisition of an active Th1 type immunoreactivity to HBsAg. HBs-DTH was absent in patients with chronic VHB. In contrast, HBs-DTH developed early in the convalescent phase of the acute VHB, whereas the production of anti-HBs was significantly delayed, thus suggesting that HBs-DTH may be involved in the recovery mechanisms of acute VHB. Intradermal HB vaccination is useful not only in lowering the cost, but also in the rapid development of anti-HBs, reversing non-responsiveness, improving postexposure prophylaxis and in immunizing immunosuppressed people. A similar vaccination strategy should prove to be useful in prevention and control of not only other infectious diseases but also malignant neoplasms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Kyushu University, 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Seiho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagafuchi
authors.forename: Seizaburo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kashiwagi
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Katsuta
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikematsu
authors.forename: Mine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harada
mesh_terms: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology*; D007271:Injections, Intradermal; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines