title: Long-term persistence of immunity after vaccination of pre-adolescents with low doses of a recombinant hepatitis B vaccine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent studies have shown no detectable antibodies and no response to a challenge dose of vaccine 10-20 y after receiving low doses (2.5-5 µg) of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine during first months of life. Little information is available on long-term persistence of immunity after vaccinating pre-adolescents with low doses of hepatitis B vaccine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of 560 subjects were included in this analysis. All subjects had a seroprotective antibody titer (≥10 IU/L) one month post-primary vaccination; 5, 10 and 15 y post-vaccination 95%, 95% and 87% had detectable antibodies, and 82%, 86%, and 68% had a seroprotective antibody titer; GMTs were 73 IU/L, 89 IU/L, and 28 IU/L, respectively. More than 99.4% of subjects had an anamnestic response to a challenge dose of vaccine given 5, 10, or 15 y post-vaccination. Five and ten years post-booster dose 97% and 95% of subjects still have a seroprotective anti-HBs titer with GMTs 16-18-fold higher when compared with those observed 5-10 y post-primary vaccination.
  
  
  METHODS
  This randomized trial was initiated in 1996 with the main objective to assess the persistence of antibodies and immune memory 5, 10 and 15 y after vaccinating 8-10 y-old children with three doses of Recombivax 2.5 µg, as well as the short and long-term effect of a booster dose given at different intervals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Virtually all children vaccinated at the age of 8-10 y with low doses of hepatitis B vaccine still have an excellent immune memory up to age of 25 y. The results of this study do not support the use of booster doses.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec; Laval University; Québec, QC Canada.
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gilca
authors.forename: Gaston
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Serres
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boulianne
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Manale
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ouakki
authors.forename: Phillipe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Wals
authors.forename: Gisele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Trudeau
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Massé
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dionne
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; C075655:Recombivax HB; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic
keywords: hepatitis B; immunity; long term; persistence; vaccination