efficacy of smaller dose of hepatitis B vaccine

ABSTRACT

The efficacy of two different doses [2.5 and 5meg] of Hepatitis B [Recombinant DNA] vaccine was tested in 20 healthy full term infants born to HBs Ag negative mothers. They were vaccinated at 0, 1 and 6 months. HBs antibody levels were measured using ELISA. technique in sera of mothers and, their corresponding infant prior to vaccination and repeated in infants 2 months after the last dose. The vaccine was well tolerated in either doses without local or systemic adverse reactions. The antibody response was comparable both in inmune infants born to HBs Ab positive mothers and non-immune ones born to HBs Ab negative mothers. HBs Ab level was 92.5 mlu/ml when the reduced dose [2.5 mcg] of the vaccine was given compared to 88.3 mlu/ml with 5 meg dose [P > 0.05] indicating comparable antibody response. We concluded that smaller doses of 2.5 meg could be used safely in mass vaccination of infants against hepatitis B infection