Viral hepatitis type B: prospects for active immunization.

Studies with heat-activated serum containing hepatitis B virus (MS2 strain) revealed 1) it was not infectious, 2) it was antigenic and 3) it was protectie. Acitve immunization with this preparation was associated with the detection of antibody to the hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) and no detectable core antibody (anti-HBc). In addition, various investigators have prepared a synthetic hepatitis B peptide vaccine, These findings indicate that it should be feasible to develop an inactivated hepatitis B vaccine by the use of purified hepatitis B surface antigen or one of its polypeptides.