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Hepatitis B vaccination with short dose intervals — A possible alternative for post-exposure prophylaxis?
- Source :
- Infection; July 1988, Vol. 16 Issue: 4 p229-232, 4p
- Publication Year :
- 1988
-
Abstract
- Summary To achieve a more rapid antibody response following hepatitis B (HB) vaccination, vaccine injections were given to medical students at considerably shorter intervals than usually recommended. They received 10 µg of the Merck Sharp & Dohme recombinant HB vaccine at time 0, 2 and 6 weeks (27 vaccinees) or were vaccinated according to the recommended schedule for pre-exposure HB prophylaxis (0, 1 and 6 months) (26 vaccinees). The short interval regimen resulted in a significantly higher frequency of protective antibody levels (=10 IU/l) two weeks after the second dose of vaccine (48% vs. 4%; p<0.001), and all short interval vaccinees had seroconverted within two months (i. e. two weeks after the third dose). The recommended interval regimen resulted in a slower development of antibodies but significantly higher peak antibody levels after the completed three doses (p<0.001). The results indicate that protective antibody levels against hepatitis B virus (HBV) can be achieved more rapidly in humans through vaccination with short intervals. This short interval vaccination regimen, which has proved effective for post-exposure prophylaxis in chimpanzees, should possibly also be considered for post-exposure prophylaxis in humans, for instance after accidental exposure to HBV-contaminated blood.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 03008126 and 14390973
- Volume :
- 16
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- Supplemental Index
- Journal :
- Infection
- Publication Type :
- Periodical
- Accession number :
- ejs15581678
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01650758