Humoral immune response after hepatitis-B-vaccination: kinetics of anti-HBs antibodies and demonstration of HLA antigens.

Three injections monthly of 50 micrograms/ml hepatitis-B-vaccine (Hevac-B-Pasteur) and one booster injection after 12 months from the beginning of vaccination were given to 676 adult recipients. Anti-HBs was detected in 45.9 percent of persons one month after the first dose of vaccine, in 79.3 percent after the third dose and in 98.4 percent after the booster injection. A follow-up of 142 persons 3 years after the first dose of vaccine indicated that protective levels of anti-HBs were maintained in 95.1 per cent of all participants. HLA antigens were typed in 13 vaccine recipients with low anti-HBs titers (less than or equal to 10 ImU/ml) and in 26 recipients with high anti-HBs titers (greater than or equal to 20,000 ImU/ml). Significant differences of antigen frequency (p less than 0.05) were found for HLA A3 (decrease in high responders), and HLA DR7 (increase of in low, decrease in high responders). The results indicate genetic differences between high and low responding recipients of HBV vaccine.