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Immune response to hepatitis B revaccination
Author(s) -
Jilg Wolfgang,
Schmidt Marion,
Deinhardt Friedrich
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.1890240404
Subject(s) - immunization , vaccination , booster dose , medicine , immunology , antibody , virology , hepatitis b , immune system , inoculation
Two hundred and twelve individuals who failed to respond or responded poorly to hepatitis B vaccination or whose anti‐HBs levels had dropped below 10 IU/L at follow‐up were revaccinated. Only 18% of initial nonresponders, but 96% of those who responded initially, developed anti‐HBs above 10 IU/L after revaccination. In 85% of vaccinees, anti‐HBs titres after a fourth immunization were significantly higher than after completion of the first full immunization course, and despite a steeper decline of antibody levels after revaccination, anti‐HBs seemed to persist better than after the initial course of three inoculations. All individuals who responded initially and in whom anti‐HBs had become undetectable developed antibodies. Response to booster doses was seen after three to five days, and a fifth inoculation given to 23 individuals induced even better responses.