title: Hepatitis B and the need for a booster dose.
abstract: After several decades of vaccination against hepatitis B virus in newborns, infants, adolescents, and adults, the question remains whether a booster dose is ever needed. Long-term protection is most commonly measured through 4 methods: the anamnestic response after administration of a booster dose, infection rate in vaccinated populations, in vitro B and T cell activity testing, and seroepidemiological studies. Long-term protection is present despite a decrease in anti-hepatitis B surface antibodies over time. The exact mechanism of long-term protection, however, is not yet fully understood. There is no need for boosters in immunologically potent persons as long as a full course was adequately administered that respected the recommended timelines, as evidenced by studies conducted up to 20 years after the original immunization course. However, a booster dose should be planned for immunocompromised patients, based on serological monitoring.
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium. elke.leuridan@ua.ac.be
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leuridan
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Damme
mesh_terms: D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007156:Immunologic Memory
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines