IMMUNOGENICITY OF THE RECOMBINANT GENHEVAC-B PASTEUR VACCINE AGAINST HEPATITIS-B IN CHRONIC UREMIC PATIENTS

Immunogenicity of the recombinant GenHevac B vaccine (G), containing b oth the S and the preS2 antigen, was compared with that of the plasma- derived Hevac B (H) vaccine in 120 chronic uremic predialysis patients . Sixty received 20 mu g/dose of G and 60 received 5 mu g/dose of H at 0, 1, 2, 4, and 12 months. Two months after the fourth injection, ser oconversion (antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen [HBs], greater th an or equal to 2 mIU/mL) was seen in 85% of group G and 67% of group H patients (P < .02); seroprotection (anti-HBs, greater than or equal t o 10 mIU/mL) was seen in 71% and 59%, respectively. The geometric mean titers (GMT) of anti-HBs in responders were 112 and 229 mIU/mL, respe ctively. After booster injection at month 12, seroconversion occurred in 94% and 76% and sereprotection in 84% and 70%, with anti-HBs GMTs o f 879 and 1001 mIU/mL in groups G and H, respectively. The recombinant GenHevac B vaccine elicited seroconversion and seroprotection in a hi gher proportion of chronic uremic patients, with comparably high anti- HBs antibody titers in responders.