title: Responses to hepatitis B vaccine in isolated anti-HBc positive adults.
abstract: Immune responses of isolated anti-HBc subjects are not well characterized in populations in China. This study aimed to evaluate immune responses to hepatitis B vaccination in isolated anti-HBc positive subjects. A cohort of 608 subjects were selected and separated into isolated anti-HBc (negative for HBsAg and anti-HBs, positive for anti-HBc) and control (negative for HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc) groups, who were matched by age and sex. All subjects received 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine (20μg) at months 0, 1, and 3, followed by testing for serological responses 1 month after the third vaccination. The positive seroprotection rate and geometric mean titer (GMT) for hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) of isolated anti-HBc subjects were significantly lower than those in the control group(86.2% vs.92.1%, P = 0.02; 47.26 vs.97.81 mIU/mL, P < 0.001). When stratified by age, positive seroprotection rate in the isolated anti-HBc group were 92%, 88.5% and 79.4% in the 20-34, 35-49, and 50-60 y old subgroups, respectively (χ2 = 5.919, P = 0.04). Additionally, the GMT level for anti-HBs in the isolated anti-HBc group for different age subgroups were 104.43, 47.87 and 31.79 mIU/mL respectively (χ2 = 19.44, P < 0.001). The GMT level for anti-HBc before vaccination were negatively correlated with GMT for anti-HBs after 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine (r = -0.165, P < 0.001). In conclusion, isolated anti-HBc positive subjects can achieve good immune responses after hepatitis B vaccination, and the positive seroprotection rate and GMT level for anti-HBs were lower than the control group. Better responses could be observed in young adults, and significant negative correlations were found between GMT of anti-HBc before vaccination and GMT of anti-HBs after vaccination.
authors.affiliation: a Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: b General Practice Department , the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: a Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China.
authors.forename: Yongdi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: a Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China.
authors.forename: Zhenggang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: a Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China.
authors.forename: Lingzhi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: c Zhejiang Provincial Hospital , Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China.
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.affiliation: d Jingdezhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Jingdezhen , Jiangxi , China.
authors.forename: Xuewei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: c Zhejiang Provincial Hospital , Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: b General Practice Department , the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: b General Practice Department , the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: b General Practice Department , the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China.
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ren
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity; D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines
keywords: hepatitis B virus; isolated anti-HBc; vaccine