Antibody Levels and Protection after Hepatitis B Vaccine: Results of a 22-Year Follow-Up Study and Response to a Booster Dose

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J Infect Dis. 2009 Sep 28. [Epub ahead of print]

Antibody Levels and Protection after Hepatitis B Vaccine: Results of a 22-Year

Follow-Up Study and Response to a Booster Dose.

McMahon BJ, Dentinger CM, Bruden D, Zanis C, s H, Hurlburt D, Bulkow L,

Fiore AE, Bell BP, Hennessy TW.

Liver Disease and Hepatitis Program, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, and

2Arctic Investigations Program, Division of Emerging Infections and Surveillance

Services, National Center for Preparedness, Detection, and Control of Infectious

Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Anchorage, Alaska;

3Division of Viral Hepatitis, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis,

STD, and TB Prevention, CDC, Atlanta, Georgia.

Background. The duration of protection in children and adults (including health

care workers) resulting from the hepatitis B vaccine primary series is unknown.

Methods. To determine the protection afforded by hepatitis B vaccine, Alaska

Native persons who had received plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine when they

were>6 months of age were tested for antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen

(anti-HBs) 22 years later. Those with levels <10 mIU/mL received 1 dose of

recombinant hepatitis B vaccine and were evaluated on the basis of anti-HBs

measurements at 10-14 days, 30-60 days, and 1 year. Results. Of 493

participants, 60% (298) had an anti-HBs level 10 mIU/mL. A booster dose was

administered to 164 persons, and 77% responded with an anti-HBs level 10 mIU/mL

at 10-14 days, reaching 81% by 60 days. Response to a booster dose was

positively correlated with younger age, peak anti-HBs response after primary

vaccination, and the presence of detectable anti-HBs before boosting.

Considering persons with an anti-HBs level 10 mIU/mL at 22 years and those who

responded to the booster dose, protection was demonstrated in 87% of the

participants. No new acute or chronic hepatitis B virus infections were

identified. Conclusions. The protection afforded by primary immunization with

plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine during childhood and adulthood lasts at least

22 years. Booster doses are not needed.

PMID: 19785526 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]