Response to hepatitis B vaccine in HBsAg/anti-HBs negative and anti-HBc positive subjects

Some anti-HBc positive subjects have been encountered in the absence of hep atitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs ). The aim of this study was to evaluate the response to hepatitis B vaccin ation in such cases. A total of 33 subjects who were HBsAg and anti-HBs neg ative, anti-HBc positive, with normal serum aminotransferase levels were in cluded in the study. A recombinant hepatitis B vaccine was administered to subjects. Sera samples were obtained 1 month after each vaccination and tes ted for anti-HBs, HBV DNA and HBeAg mere not detected in any subject. Anti- HBs le, els were measured above 10 greater than or equal to mIU/ml in 48.4% of cases after the first vaccination, 63.6% after the second vaccination a nd 90.9% after the third vaccination. Only 3 subjects (9.1%) lacked antibod y response in spite of the 3-dose vaccination, In conclusion, preventive an tibody levels were obtained after HBV vaccination in most of the HBsAg, ant i-HBs negative, anti-HBc positive persons.