title: Improved cell mediated immune responses after successful re-vaccination of non-responders to the hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) vaccine using the combined hepatitis A and B vaccine.
abstract: We successfully re-vaccinated hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine non-responders using a double dose of the combined hepatitis A virus (HAV) and HBV vaccine. The hope was to improve priming of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-specific cell mediated immune response (CMI) by an increased antigen dose and a theoretical adjuvant-effect from the local presence of a HAV-specific CMI. A few non-responders had a detectable HBsAg-specific CMI before re-vaccination. An in vitro detectable HBsAg-specific CMI was primed equally effective in non-responders (58%) as in first time vaccine recipients (68%). After the third dose a weak, albeit significant, association was observed between the magnitude of HBsAg-specific proliferation and anti-HBs levels. This regimen improves the priming of HBsAg-specific CMIs and antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Virology, Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Huddinge, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nyström
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cardell
authors.forename: Thora Björg
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Björnsdottir
authors.forename: Aril
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fryden
authors.forename: Catharina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hultgren
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sällberg
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017778:Vaccines, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D022362:Hepatitis A Vaccines; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D017778:Vaccines, Combined; D007371:Interferon-gamma