S Erensoy1, A Bilgiç, B Arda, O Ozer. 1. Dept. of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Ege University Medical Faculty, Bornova, 35100 Izmir, Turkey. erensoy@med.ege.edu.tr
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This is a report on the results of immunization of medical students with low-dose hepatitis B (HB) vaccine prior to starting clinical practice and evaluation of the efficacy of this vaccination scheme. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Low-dose (2 microg) recombinant HB vaccine was administered intramuscularly (im) at months 0, 1, 2 and 12 to 105 volunteers who wee HB surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HB core antigen (HBc) negative. Additional doses were administered after the third dose to the vaccines with anti-HBs titers below 10 IU/l. RESULTS: Protective anti-HBs levels (above 10 IU/l) were obtained in 73.3%, 95.6%, 100% and 92.8% of vaccines with geometric mean titers of 91, 61.6, 3,662 and 367 IU/l at months 3, 12, 13 and 44 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: Long-term effective protection against HB could be obtained in medical students with this scheme. Low-dose HB im vaccination can be utilized as a cost-saving vaccination strategy.
BACKGROUND: This is a report on the results of immunization of medical students with low-dose hepatitis B (HB) vaccine prior to starting clinical practice and evaluation of the efficacy of this vaccination scheme. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Low-dose (2 microg) recombinant HB vaccine was administered intramuscularly (im) at months 0, 1, 2 and 12 to 105 volunteers who wee HB surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HB core antigen (HBc) negative. Additional doses were administered after the third dose to the vaccines with anti-HBs titers below 10 IU/l. RESULTS: Protective anti-HBs levels (above 10 IU/l) were obtained in 73.3%, 95.6%, 100% and 92.8% of vaccines with geometric mean titers of 91, 61.6, 3,662 and 367 IU/l at months 3, 12, 13 and 44 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: Long-term effective protection against HB could be obtained in medical students with this scheme. Low-dose HB im vaccination can be utilized as a cost-saving vaccination strategy.
Authors: Ru-Xiang Wang; Greet Boland; Ying Guo; Shao-Ping Lei; Chang-Hong Yang; Juan Chen; Jie Tian; Jin-Ying Wen; Ke-Hong Du; Jan van Hattum; Gijsbert C de Gast Journal: World J Gastroenterol Date: 2003-10 Impact factor: 5.742