title: Hepatitis B vaccination strategy in vaccine low and non-responders: a matter of quantity of quality?
abstract: Hepatitis B virus infection can lead to chronic infection and liver failure. Transmission of the virus is preventable though vaccination. Unfortunately, 5-10% of healthy individuals and 40-50% of haemodialysis patients do not develop an adequate immune response against the vaccine. In this commentary we focus on the possible biological mechanisms of hepatitis B vaccine unresponsiveness, and give practical advice to overcome this unresponsiveness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands. a.h.e.roukens@lumc.nl
authors.forename: Anna H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Roukens
authors.forename: Leo G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Visser
mesh_terms: D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines