Passive/Active Immunization Against Hepatitis B

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Abstract
No differences in eventual immune-response rates were found between 325 subjects immunized passively/actively against hepatitis B and a control group of 108 subjects vaccinated only actively. The geometric mean titers of antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen were nearly identical in controls and in a group of 87 individuals immunized passively/actively with the same vaccine lot. Lower geometric mean titers of antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen were seen in 238 individuals who were vaccinated passively/actively with a different vaccine lot, a difference that may be explained by a somewhat lower immunogenicity in this particular lot. The mean half-life of hepatitis B immunoglobulin was calculated as 24.8 days, and in ∼90% of vaccinees 300,000 mIU of hepatitis B immunoglobulin provided protection until an active immune response had developed.