Hepatitis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Hepatitis, including details on hepatitis a, b, c, causes, symptoms.

Long-term immunogenicity of hepatitis B vaccination in a cohort of Italian healthy adolescents.

Gabbuti A, Romanò L, Blanc P, Meacci F, Amendola A, Mele A, Mazzotta F, Zanetti AR

Infectious Diseases Unit, S.M. Annunziata Hospital, Florence, Italy.

In 1992, 620 adolescents were vaccinated against hepatitis B. Anti-HBs concentrations were measured in 480 (77.4%) adolescents 1 month after completion of the primary course of vaccination. To assess the persistence of anti-HBs, 347 and 228 of such vaccinees were retested for anti-HBs in 1999 and for anti-HBs and anti-HBc in 2003. More than 10 years after vaccination, individuals with anti-HBs >or=10 mIU/ml were considered protected while those with antibody <10 mIU/ml were given a booster dose and retested 2 weeks later. Check performed in 2003 showed that 208/228 (91.2%) vaccinees retained protective concentrations of anti-HBs. All vaccinees were anti-HBc negative. 11 of the 12 (91.7%) individuals who were given a booster dose of vaccine showed a vigorous anamnestic response while the remaining one showed a weak response (10.6 mIU/ml). These data suggests that hepatitis B vaccination can confer long-term immunity and that immunological memory can outlast the loss of antibody. Hence, the use of routine booster doses of vaccine does not appear necessary to maintain long-term protection in successfully vaccinated immunocompetent individuals.

Published 2 April 2007 in Vaccine, 25(16): 3129-32.
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