110 seaman in Hai Phong were infected Engerise B vaccine Good immune response through antibody responsivity effect was reached. For the first injectiong, the responsivity in 72,73% of cases, GMT altained to 135,5 mIU/ml; for the 2nd and the 3 rd injections, the respective values were 81,82%, 94,55% and 327,2 mIU/ml, 680,5 mIU/ml, with p>0,05 and p< 0,001. Topic and systemic side effect rates were very low.
Hepatitis B Vaccines ; Viral Hepatitis Vaccines ; Male

Hepatitis E ; immunology ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Viral Hepatitis Vaccines

Hepatitis E ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Hepatitis E virus ; immunology ; Humans ; Viral Hepatitis Vaccines ; immunology

Animals ; Hepatitis E ; prevention & control ; Hepatitis E virus ; immunology ; Humans ; Viral Hepatitis Vaccines

OBJECTIVETo compare the various combined immunization schemes available for treatment of babies born to mothers with high-load hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

METHODSA total of 118 mothers with HBV infection status of hepatitis B surface antigen-positive (HBsAg+), hepatitis B e antigen-positive (HBeAg+) and HBV DNA load of more than 1.0 * 61og10 IU/mL were included in the study. All of the participants' babies received the main-passive immunization therapy according to the wishes of their families. For analysis,the infants were grouped according to the various dosages of the vaccine program (group A: hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) 200 IU and HBVac 20 mug intramuscular;group B:HBIG 200 IU and HBVac 10 mug intramuscular; group C HBIG 100 IU and HBVac 20 mug intramuscular injection) and times, and followed-up to 7 months of age.All results were statistically analyzed using SPSS software.

RESULTSAll of the infants produced anti-HBs after vaccination.After the HBIG injection schedule was completed in January, the mean concentrations of anti-HBs in groups A, B, and C were 263.56 ± 50.98,231.06 ± 74.07, and 99.23 ± 29.82 mIU/mL respectively;the concentrations were significantly different between groups A and C, and between groups B and C (P < 0.001). In July, the titers of anti-HBs in groups A, B, and C were 788.10 ± 281.96,428.39 ± 347.48, and 708.44 ± 315.69 mIU/mL respectively; the concentrations were significantly different between groups A and B, and between groups B and C (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAdminisWation of the hepatitis B vaccine combined with HBIG at birth can achieve immune protection for babies born to highly viremic mothers. In January, the HBIG dosage of 200 IU was more reliable than 100 IU. The hepatitis B 20 tg dose vaccine was safe and effective.

Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Immunization ; Immunoglobulins ; Infant ; Mothers ; Serologic Tests ; Vaccines, Combined ; Viral Load

Animals ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; Hepatitis C ; immunology ; prevention & control ; therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Mutation ; Viral Hepatitis Vaccines ; immunology

Currently, Korea is a low endemicity country for HAV, especially in children. However, recent reports of hepatitis A outbreaks show that there has been a shift of disease incidence to adolescents and young adults, with 2 cases of acute liver failure in one reported outbreak. We need to study the immune status for HAV in order to provide information for the establishment of preventive measures and possible consequences of HAV in Korea. A total of 334 infants, children and adolescents less than 20 years of age living in rural areas of Kyonggi Province, Korea were evaluated for anti-HAV immune status in 1996. Five hundred and eighty-four primary school children living in the same area were separately evaluated for the natural seroconversion rate between 1993 and follow-up samples taken in 1996. Anti-HAV IgG antibody was measured by enzyme immunoassay (HAVAB EIA kit, Abbott Laboratories, Chicago, Illinois, USA). In comparison with previous reports of seroprevalence rates, our data confirmed a dramatic drop in seroprevalence rates among children and adolescents under 20 years of age living in rural areas, from over 63.8% two decades ago to 4.6% in 1996. Natural acquisition of HAV antibody in primary school children rarely occurs, registering only 0.5% during three years. Several outbreaks in young adults during 1996-1998 suggested that immunity against HAV in this population is so low that massive outbreaks are unavoidable. Teenagers and young adults, especially soldiers, who are likely to be exposed to contaminated food or water, would also have a greater risk of hepatitis A. Immunizing children with HAV vaccine as a routine schedule should also be considered in Korea in the future, particularly if the disease burden could be estimated and the cost-effectiveness of the vaccine could be proved.
Adolescence ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hepatitis A/prevention & control* ; Hepatitis A/epidemiology* ; Hepatitis A Vaccines ; Human ; Immunization* ; Infant ; Korea ; Male ; Prevalence ; Sex Distribution ; Viral Hepatitis Vaccines/therapeutic use*

OBJECTIVETo observe anti-HEV IgG response to vaccination of recombinant antigen fragments and evaluate its protection from Hepatitis E Virus infection in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

METHODSTwelve monkeys were divided into three groups and immunized respectively with three different recombinant antigens: namely Ag1 (carboxyl terminal 431 amino acids of ORF2), Ag2 (128aa fragment at the carboxyl terminal of ORF2), and Ag3 (full length ORF3 ligated with two ORF2 fragments encoded by 6743-7126nt and 6287-6404nt). The monkeys were challenged intravenously with fecal suspension from experimentally infected rhesus monkeys, and the other three monkeys served as the placebo group for challenge with HEV. The dynamic changes of the levels of ALT and anti-HEV IgG were examined. Pathological changes of liver tissue were observed by light microscope. Excretion of virus was detected by RT-nPCR.

RESULTSHepatic histopathology of two monkeys in the placebo group was consistent with acute viral hepatitis, and ALT was elevated 3-4 weeks after inoculated with virus, up to 10-20 times higher than normal level. The liver tissue of monkeys immunized with antigen kept normal, ALT in several monkeys elevated mildly, and anti-HEV IgG conversation occurred at 1-2 weeks after vaccination, with the titer reaching 1:12,800. The virus RNA could be detected by RT-nPCR from days 7 to 50 in monkeys of control group, and from days 7 to 21 in vaccinated monkeys after challenged with virus.

CONCLUSIONSThe recombinant antigens could induce the production of anti-HEV IgG, which protected rhesus monkeys from acute Hepatitis symptoms related to HEV infection.

Animals ; Antigens, Viral ; immunology ; Hepatitis E ; prevention & control ; Hepatitis E virus ; immunology ; Immunoglobulin G ; immunology ; Macaca mulatta ; RNA, Viral ; blood ; Recombinant Proteins ; immunology ; Vaccination ; Viral Hepatitis Vaccines ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the RT-PCR-ELISA method applied for testing live attenuated hepatitis A vaccine titer.

METHODSA solid phase hybridization-enzyme colorimetric detection method was used for detecting specific nucleic acid. Primer labeled with biotin was used to amplify viral gene fragment, then the product was quickly hybridized with the specific probe covalently coupled on DNA-binding microplate wells. Finally, peroxidase-labeled streptavidin was used in colorimetric detection. The results were judged by reading A value. Eleven batches of live attenuated hepatitis A vaccine titer were tested by this method. The results were compared with that of routine cell culture method (CCID50).

RESULTSThe sensitivity was similar to routine cell culture method (P>0.05). This method was convenient, fast and specific.

CONCLUSIONCCID50 method may be replaced by the RT-PCR-ELISA method in evaluating the titer of live attenuated hepatitis A vaccine.

Base Sequence ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Genes, Viral ; Hepatitis A Vaccines ; Hepatitis A virus ; genetics ; Quality Control ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Vaccines, Attenuated

Most of the current licenced hepatitis B vaccines are being produced by recombinant DNA technology in large fermentation cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae of yeast cells which carry the gene coded for hepatitis B virus surface antigen. These vaccines are proved very effective clinically and the immunogenicity of vaccines could be maintained for a long time under refrigeration. To develope the stabilizer that could increase the stability of hepatitis B virus vaccine which could be stored for a long period at room temperature or higher conditions, glucose, lactose and sucrose solutions in phosphate buffered saline were added into hepatitis B vaccine respectively to make 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10% final concentration in vaccines. These sugar-vaccine mixtures were stored at room temperature for one month, two months and three months respectively and then inoculated into ICR mice intramuscularly. On the fourteenth day after inoculation, mice were bled and sera were tested for the evaluation of efficacies of vaccines. The results showed that 5% glucose, 7.5% lactose and sucrose increased the stability of vaccines in some degree and this method could be applied for the production of other viral vaccines and bacterial vaccines.
Animals ; Antigens, Surface ; Bacterial Vaccines ; Carbohydrates* ; DNA, Recombinant ; Fermentation ; Glucose ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Lactose ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Refrigeration ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae ; Sucrose ; Vaccines ; Viral Vaccines ; Yeasts