Hepatitis B virus infection is one or the most important health problems not only in morbidity but in mortality among Korean people. But high cost of hepatitis B vaccine could have interfered the introduction of the universal vaccination
programme.
To
evaluate the efficacy of low dose hepatitis B vaccination we performed comparative study of immunogenicity of hepatitis B vaccination among three groups of low dose intradermal (LD-ID), low dose intramuscular (LD-IM) and usual dose
intramuscular(control) immunization.
The numbers of vaccinees of LD-ID, LD-IM and control group are 64(mean age:36.8 years), 22(mean age:37.4 yars) and 48(mean age:34.6 years) respectively. In LD-ID group, plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine(Hepavax-B(r)) 0.1ml was administered
intradermally on volar side of forearm at 0, 1, 2 months. In LD-IM and control group, Hepavax B(r) 0.1ml and 1.0ml were administered intramuscularly on deltoid muscle at 0, 1, 2 months, respectively. HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc were tested by
radioimmunoassay at 1 month after third vaccination.
The seroconversion rate of anti-HBs in LD-IM group(50.0%) is significantly lower than those of LD-ID(89.1%) and control group(83.3%)(P<0.05). The geometric mean of anti-HBs titer in LD-IM group (34 RIA units; 95% CI:13-87) is significantly lower
than
those of LD-ID(578 RIA units, 95% CI:374-893) and control group(272 PIA units ; 95% CI : 138-533). The side reactions in LD-ID group are local skin reactions such as pain and pigmentation.
As a cost-effective preventive measure of hepatitis B virus infection in adults, the low dose intradermal method is comparable with usual dose intramuscular method in the aspects of anti-HBs seroconversion rate and anti-HBs titer.
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