Hepatitis B vaccination in medical students

Abstract

In this study efficacy of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine given to medical students was evaluated. A group of 66 medical students were given, a four doses of recombinant vaccine containing S and pre-S antigens (GenHevac B Pasteur). All students received four doses of vaccine in the deltoid area at 0, 1, 2 and 12 months. Antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen were measured at 1 month after the each first three doses of vaccine and 12 months after the time of first immunization. The anti-HBs seroconversion rate at the 10 mIU/ml threshold was 12.1% one month after the first injection; the anti-HBs seroconversion rate was 60.6% one month after the second injection and 89.6% one month after the third injection. At the month 12, more than 90% of the subjects had an anti-HBs titre above 10 mIU/ml, and 67.9% of the subjects had an anti-HBs titre above 100 mIU/ml. The side effects were (mainly sore arm) uncommon, all mild and transient. The good immune response observed suggests that vaccination of health care staff against the hepatitis B virus (HBV) would have the advantage of early prevention from HBV infection.