Hepatitis B ; immunology ; prevention & control ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; immunology

Hepatitis B ; immunology ; prevention & control ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunization Schedule ; Vaccination ; Vaccines, Synthetic ; immunology

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been a major global cause of morbidity and mortality. The recognition of the problem led to a worldwide effort to reduce transmission of HBV through routine infant vaccination. HBV infection is the most common cause of chronic liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma in Korea. After hepatitis B vaccine era, seroprevalence of hepatits B surface antigen is decreasing, particularly in children. Hepatitis B vaccine is remarkably safe and shows high immunogenicity. Universal childhood immunization with three doses of hepatitis B vaccine in the first year of life is a highly effective method for prevention and control of hepatitis B.
Hepatitis B/*epidemiology/immunology/*prevention & control ; Hepatitis B Antibodies/blood/immunology ; Hepatitis B Vaccines/immunology/therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B virus/genetics/immunology ; Humans ; Vaccination

Adolescent ; Child ; Female ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; immunology ; Humans ; Male ; Thymosin ; therapeutic use ; Vaccination ; Vaccines, Synthetic ; immunology

<b>OBJECTIVEb>To evaluate safety and immunogenicity of inactivated hepatitis A vaccine in HBsAg carriers and healthy children.

<b>METHODSb>One hundred and twenty-one healthy children and ten HBsAg carriers, aged 1-10 years HAV susceptible were enrolled in the study. The inactivated hepatitis A vaccine was produced by Tangshan Biogenetic Company. The dosage of the vaccine was 1000 U/Dosage and 500 U/Dosage. The vaccination schedule was six month apart for two injections. The serum anti-HAV level was detected with EIA at one month after first injection and at one and six month after the booster injection, respectively.

<b>RESULTSb>The anti-HAV appeared in all the children. One month after the booster injection, the serum anti-HAV level in children vaccinated 500 U/Dosage was 4684.9 mIU and 4535.6 mIU, respectively and in the children vaccinated 1000 U/Dosage, 5399.8 mIU and 7347.1 mIU, respectively. The anti-HAV level was not statistically different between the two groups of children. There was no adverse reaction after the vaccination. The anti-HAV level was still high one year after first injection.

<b>CONCLUSIONSb>The data indicated that the safety and immunogenicity of the domestic inactivated hepatitis A vaccine were excellent in both groups of children.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Hepatitis A Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis A Vaccines ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Humans ; Immunization ; Infant ; Vaccines, Inactivated ; immunology

<b>OBJECTIVEb>To observe the immunogenicity of combined hepatitis A and B vaccine (HAB).

<b>METHODSb>The combined HAB vaccine was prepared and different concentrations of HAB were administered on mice in week 0, 4 and 24, and then we tested the antibodies to both hepatitis A virus and B virus. After the first injection, we tested the hepatitis A antigen-induced and hepatitis B surface antigen-induced stimulation indices in spleen monocyte as well as changes of CD4+ and CD8+ cell numbers.

<b>RESULTSb>The serum antibody positive rates were 100% in all three groups, and the antibody induced by HAB vaccine were earlier than by monovalent vaccine. The hepatitis A antibody and hepatitis B surface antibody titers after the combined vaccine inoculation were not significantly higher than those after the monovalent vaccine inoculation. On the other hand, after the first injection of the combined vaccine, the hepatitis A antigen-induced and hepatitis B surface antigen-induced stimulation indices in spleen monocyte were detected. The numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ cells increased.

<b>CONCLUSIONSb>HAB vaccine has reliable immunogenicity.

Animals ; CD4-CD8 Ratio ; Hepatitis A ; prevention & control ; Hepatitis A Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis A Vaccines ; immunology ; Hepatitis B ; prevention & control ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; immunology ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Random Allocation ; Vaccination ; Vaccines, Combined ; immunology

<b>OBJECTIVEb>To study the specific cellular immunoresponse of peripheral blood lymphocytes in the chronic hepatitis B patients treated with different doses of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine.

<b>METHODSb>Seventy-two chronic hepatitis B patients who did not use any anti-HBV drugs within 6 months were randomized into 3 groups (90 micrograms, 60 micrograms, and placebo) in a ratio of 1:1:1. The patients in different groups were treated with different doses of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine in combination with IFN alpha 1b 50 micrograms with 3 times a week for 24 weeks. All patients were followed up for 24 weeks (W24). HBV DNA, HBeAg and liver functions were detected at different time points, and the number of cells that secrete IFN-gamma were detected by ELISPOT.

<b>RESULTSb>There were no significant difference in ELISPOT positive ratio among the 3 groups on baseline detection. At W24, 12 cases, 12 cases, and 7 cases showed ELISPOT positive in the group of 90 micrograms, 60 micrograms, and placebo. The proportion of patients who were ELISPOT positive was higher in the groups treated with recombinant hepatitis B vaccine (including the dose of 90 micrograms and 60 micrograms) than that in the placebo group (P=0.0446). HBV DNA turned negative in 6/24 of the patients treated with recombinant hepatitis B vaccine (at both the doses of 90 micrograms and 60 micrograms), and HBeAg/Anti-HBe seroconversion or HBeAg became negative in 7/24 of them. In the placebo group, none of the patients showed undetectable HBV DNA, HBeAg/Anti-HBe seroconversion or HBeAg disappearance. At the 24W of follow up, in the patients who were ELISPOT positive, HBV DNA became undetectable in 4 of the patients treated with recombinant hepatitis B vaccine (at doses of 90 micrograms and 60 micrograms), and HBeAg/Anti-HBe seroconversion or HBeAg disappearance were found in 9 of the cases. In the placebo group, none of the cases showed undetectable HBV DNA, and only 1 case had HBeAg/Anti-HBe seroconversion.

<b>CONCLUSIONb>The recombinant hepatitis B vaccine may increase the function of specific T lymphocytes in patients with chronic hepatitis B. There were no significant differences between the patients treated with the dose of 90 micrograms and 60 micrograms hepatitis B vaccine.

Adult ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; biosynthesis ; Male ; Recombinant Proteins ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Vaccines, Synthetic ; immunology

<b>OBJECTIVEb>To evaluate the immuno-effects of hepatitis B (HB) vaccination in adults.

<b>METHODSb>Five groups were sampled by means of cluster sampling, and serum HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc were tested in every group at people aged from 18 to 50. Recombinant HB vaccine was injected to the ones that HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc were all negative. Concentration of anti-HBs in serum was tested after one year and three years of vaccination. Immuno-effects of recombinant HB vaccination in adults at different ages and between sexes, were then calculated.

<b>RESULTSb>Good immuno-effects of recombinant HB vaccination in adults were noticed. After one year and three years of vaccination with 5 micro g recombinant HB vaccine, the anti-HBs positive rates were 82.76%, 70.77% while the serum concentrations of anti-HBs were 55.91 mIU/ml and 35.41 mIU/ml respectively. When 10 micro g was used, the concentrations were 83.74%, 72.22%, 56.89 mIU/ml and 30.29 mIU/ml respectively. The effects did not show significant differences between different doses on 10 micro g and of 5 micro g. Concentration of anti-HBs reduced when time went by. The factors such as age and sex influenced the effects of immunity on recombinant HB vaccination.

<b>CONCLUSIONb>Good immunity could be obtained when recombinant hepatitis B was vaccinated in vulnerable population aged 18 to 50.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; prevention & control ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; immunology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Vaccination ; Vaccines, Synthetic ; immunology

<b>OBJECTIVEb>To evoke more effective humoral and cell-mediated immunization against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

<b>METHODSb>HBsAg-primed mice were boosted with HBs-DNA vaccine, and HBs-DNA-primed mice were boosted with HBsAg vaccine. Anti-HBs level was assayed by ELISA and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response was tested by lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH) releasing method two weeks after the boosted immunization.

<b>RESULTSb>Anti-HBs level and CTL responsive rate at the effector/target cell ratio of 100:1 were 0.38 and 36% in HBsAg/HBs-DNA vaccination group, 0.32 and 27% in HBs-DNA/HBsAg vaccination group, 0.48 and 1.5% in HBsAg/HBsAg vaccination group, 0.24 and 68% in HBs-DNA/HBs-DNA vaccination group, respectively.

<b>CONCLUSIONb>Priming with HBs-DNA vaccine followed by boosting with conventional HBsAg vaccine results in greater antibody response (F = 21.19, P < 0.05), and CTL response after HBsAg vaccination can be improved by boosting with HBs-DNA vaccine (F = 165.59, P < 0.05). It brings to better efficacy by combining HBsAg vaccine with HBs-DNA vaccine.

Animals ; Antibody Formation ; Hepatitis B ; immunology ; prevention & control ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; biosynthesis ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Immunity, Cellular ; Mice ; Vaccines, DNA ; administration & dosage ; immunology

Although DNA vaccination is now a promising strategy against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, this approach has relatively modest antiviral effect, indicating that immunosuppressive mechanisms may occur in the long-term established infection. In this study, we studied the immunogenicity and anti-HBV efficiency of a combination of HBV surface (HBsAg) and core (HBcAg) DNA vaccine, enhanced by heat shock protein (HSP) gp96 or HSP70 and mediated by in vivo electroporation. Immunization with gp96 adjuvanted HBsAg/HBcAg DNA formulation induced potent T cell and antibody immunity against HBsAg and HBcAg. Notably, treatment with gp96 or HSP70 as adjuvant resulted in reduction of Treg populations by around 20%. Moreover, compared with nonimmunized control mice, immunization with gp96 or HSP70 adjuvanted DNA vaccine dramatically decreased serum HBsAg and viral DNA levels, and HBcAg expression in liver. These results may therefore provide an effective strategy for designing gp96-based DNA vaccine for immunotherapy of chronic HBV infection.
Adjuvants, Immunologic ; Animals ; Electroporation ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; prevention & control ; Immunization ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic ; Vaccines, DNA ; immunology