title: Long-term immunogenicity of hepatitis B vaccination in a cohort of Italian healthy adolescents.
abstract: In 1992, 620 adolescents were vaccinated against hepatitis B. Anti-HBs concentrations were measured in 480 (77.4%) adolescents 1 month after completion of the primary course of vaccination. To assess the persistence of anti-HBs, 347 and 228 of such vaccinees were retested for anti-HBs in 1999 and for anti-HBs and anti-HBc in 2003. More than 10 years after vaccination, individuals with anti-HBs >or=10 mIU/ml were considered protected while those with antibody <10 mIU/ml were given a booster dose and retested 2 weeks later. Check performed in 2003 showed that 208/228 (91.2%) vaccinees retained protective concentrations of anti-HBs. All vaccinees were anti-HBc negative. 11 of the 12 (91.7%) individuals who were given a booster dose of vaccine showed a vigorous anamnestic response while the remaining one showed a weak response (10.6 mIU/ml). These data suggests that hepatitis B vaccination can confer long-term immunity and that immunological memory can outlast the loss of antibody. Hence, the use of routine booster doses of vaccine does not appear necessary to maintain long-term protection in successfully vaccinated immunocompetent individuals.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Unit, S.M. Annunziata Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gabbuti
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Romanò
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Blanc
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meacci
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amendola
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mele
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mazzotta
authors.forename: Alessandro R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Zanetti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007558:Italy; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines