TY - JOUR
T1 - Efficacy of hepatitis B vaccine boosters among neonatally vaccinated university freshmen in Taiwan
AU - Su, Fu-Hsiung
AU - Chu, Fang Yeh
AU - Bai, Chyi-Huey
AU - Lin, Yu-Shiang
AU - Hsueh, Yu-Mei
AU - Sung, Fung Chang
AU - Yeh, Chih-Ching
PY - 2013/4
Y1 - 2013/4
N2 - Background & Aims Long-term protection against hepatitis B virus (HBV) after vaccination remains widely debated. We evaluated the efficacy of a modified 3-dose booster protocol in neonatally vaccinated university students in Taiwan. Methods Changes in the levels of antibodies to the hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) were examined in 250 university students over a 3-year period. Group A (n = 39) lacked seroprotective levels of anti-HBs, and declined to receive a booster dose of the HBV vaccine. Group B (n = 128) lacked seroprotective levels of anti-HBs, and received booster doses of the HBV vaccine according to a modified 3-dose booster protocol. Group C (n = 83) possessed seroprotective levels of anti-HBs, and did not receive a booster dose. Results The levels of seroprotective anti-HBs increased in 12.8% of Group A and 14.5% of Group C, suggesting that our entire cohort had experienced booster effects from natural HBV exposure. However, no new HBV infections were observed, and 53.9% of Group B maintained protective levels of anti-HBs during the follow-up period. Conclusions The use of the modified 3-dose booster protocol induced significant long-term increases in the titer of anti-HBs in over 50% of the neonatally vaccinated participants with previously non-protective titers. However, in the absence of a vaccine booster, some neonatally vaccinated people with low anti-HBs titers may nonetheless produce anamnestic responses to HBV upon exposure, suggesting that protection from neonatal vaccination may persist, despite low titers of anti-HBs.
AB - Background & Aims Long-term protection against hepatitis B virus (HBV) after vaccination remains widely debated. We evaluated the efficacy of a modified 3-dose booster protocol in neonatally vaccinated university students in Taiwan. Methods Changes in the levels of antibodies to the hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) were examined in 250 university students over a 3-year period. Group A (n = 39) lacked seroprotective levels of anti-HBs, and declined to receive a booster dose of the HBV vaccine. Group B (n = 128) lacked seroprotective levels of anti-HBs, and received booster doses of the HBV vaccine according to a modified 3-dose booster protocol. Group C (n = 83) possessed seroprotective levels of anti-HBs, and did not receive a booster dose. Results The levels of seroprotective anti-HBs increased in 12.8% of Group A and 14.5% of Group C, suggesting that our entire cohort had experienced booster effects from natural HBV exposure. However, no new HBV infections were observed, and 53.9% of Group B maintained protective levels of anti-HBs during the follow-up period. Conclusions The use of the modified 3-dose booster protocol induced significant long-term increases in the titer of anti-HBs in over 50% of the neonatally vaccinated participants with previously non-protective titers. However, in the absence of a vaccine booster, some neonatally vaccinated people with low anti-HBs titers may nonetheless produce anamnestic responses to HBV upon exposure, suggesting that protection from neonatal vaccination may persist, despite low titers of anti-HBs.
KW - Antibody
KW - Follow-up
KW - Hepatitis B
KW - Protective immunity
KW - Vaccination
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jhep.2012.11.036
DO - 10.1016/j.jhep.2012.11.036
M3 - Article
C2 - 23207141
AN - SCOPUS:84880936773
SN - 0168-8278
VL - 58
SP - 684
EP - 689
JO - Journal of Hepatology
JF - Journal of Hepatology
IS - 4
ER -