Kl. Tan et al., IMMUNOGENICITY OF RECOMBINANT YEAST-DERIVED HEPATITIS-B VACCINE IN NONRESPONDERS TO PERINATAL IMMUNIZATION, JAMA, the journal of the American Medical Association, 271(11), 1994, pp. 859-861
Objective.-Nonresponse to hepatitis B vaccine in the perinatal period
occasionally occurs. This report documents the results of reimmunizati
on of nonrespenders to perinatal immunization. Design.-From a cohort o
f 1154 infants immunized with plasma-based vaccine in the perinatal pe
riod and followed up for more than 8 years, 45 nonresponders were iden
tified. These children were reimmunized at 4 years of age. Each child
received a yeast-derived recombinant hepatitis B vaccine on a 0-, 1-,
and 5-month schedule, 33 children with 10-mu g and 12 with 5-mu g dose
s. Blood was sampled 1 month after the third vaccination and thereafte
r at 1, 2, and 4 years. Setting.-The follow-up clinic where the cohort
of children was regularly seen. Patients.-Forty-five 4-year-old child
ren who had no antibody to hepatitis B despite perinatal immunization.
Main Outcome Measure.-Antibody levels to hepatitis B surface antigen.
Results.-Seroconversion with titers higher than 10 mlU/mL occurred in
all children. More than 70% still had titers higher than 10 mlU/mL 4
years after vaccination. Conclusion.-Nonresponders to perinatal hepati
tis B vaccination respond well to subsequent vaccination.