PURPOSE: Assessing the immunogenicity of a single dose of hepatitis A virus (HAV) vaccines is important because some people receive only a single dose. However, previous studies have shown variable results and have not examined the effects of demographic characteristics other than gender. This study was performed to examine the immunogenicity of a single dose of HAV vaccine according to the vaccine type and demographic characteristics in young adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seronegative medical school students were randomly allocated to receive either Havrix or Epaxal. RESULTS: After approximately 11 months, the seroconversion rate in 451 participants was 80.7%. In men, the Havrix group showed a significantly higher seroconversion rate (81.9%) than the Epaxal group (69.2%), whereas both vaccine groups showed similarly high immunogenicity in women (Havrix: 90.1%, Epaxal: 92.9%; P for interaction=0.062). According to the results of a multivariate analysis, Epaxal showed significantly lower immunogenicity than Havrix only in men. Age, obesity, drinking, smoking, and follow-up time did not significantly affect seroconversion in either gender. CONCLUSION: The seroconversion rate of single-dose HAV vaccines was low in men, particularly in those who received Epaxal. Our results suggest that gender effects should be considered when comparing the immunogenicity of different HAV vaccines.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Hepatitis A/*immunology/*prevention & control ; Hepatitis A Vaccines ; Hepatitis A Virus, Human/*immunology/*pathogenicity ; Humans ; Male ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the relationship between the amount of HBV DNA in serum/liver tissue and HGV infection in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CH-B) for exploring the effect of HGV infection on hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication of CH-B.

METHODSHGV RNA in serum, HGV nonstructural region 5 (NS5) antigen (HGV Ag) in liver tissue and the amount of HBV DNA in serum, liver tissue were detected for 56 patients with CH-B by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay, peroxidase antiperoxidase (PAP) immunohistochemical method and fluorescence quantitative PCR assay, respectively. Then the relationship between HGV Ag expression in liver tissue and HGV RNA expression in serum was analysed and the amount of HBV DNA in serum and liver tissues from the serum HGV RNA or liver tissue HGV Ag positive patients were compared with those of the serum HGV-RNA or liver tissue HGV Ag negative patients, respectively.

RESULTSTen (17.9%) and eight (14.3%) patients were positive for serum and liver tissues,respectively.HGV RNA expression in serum was closely related to HGV Ag expression in liver tissues, but there was HGV RNA in serum from some of the liver tissues HGV Ag negative patients ?cases of HGV RNA and HGV Ag positive or negative,HGV RNA positive but HGV Ag negative, HGV RNA negative but HGV Ag positive, respectively: 5,43,5,3,(P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the amount of HBV DNA in serum and liver tissues between HGV RNA or HGV Ag positive and negative patients (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSHGV infection may not affect HBV replication. Liver is the site of HGV replication, but HGV probably also replicates in extrahepatic tissues. HGV hepatic pathogenicity is probably mild and further studies are still needed.

Adult ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; blood ; Female ; Flaviviridae Infections ; complications ; virology ; GB virus C ; genetics ; immunology ; pathogenicity ; Hepatitis Antigens ; analysis ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; physiology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; virology ; Hepatitis, Viral, Human ; virology ; Humans ; Liver ; virology ; Male ; RNA, Viral ; blood ; Virus Replication