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Research Paper

Antibody and immune memory persistence after vaccination of preadolescents with low doses of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine

Vladimir Gilca, Gaston De Serres, Nicole Boulianne, Philippe De Wals, Donald Murphy, Gisele Trudeau, Genevieve Deceuninck, Richard Massé and Bernard Duval

Little is known about the impact of low-dose hepatitis B vaccine on the persistence of anti-HBs and immune memory in school-age children. Recombivax-HB 2.5µg (RB) has been widely used in school-age children. RB induces high seroprotection rates, but relatively low anti-HBs titers. The main objectives of this phase of the study were to assess anti-HBs persistence and the presence of immune memory 10 years post-vaccination of 8-10 year-old children with 3 doses of RB and the persistence of anti-HBs post-booster dose administration 5 (Group A; n=250) or 10 years (Group B; n=263) post-vaccination. No significant difference was observed between GMTs and the proportion of subjects with anti-HBs titers ≥10mIU/mL 5 or 10 years post-vaccination. In both groups, a 56-fold decrease of anti-HBs GMTs was observed. One month post-booster, all but two subjects in Group A had an anti-HBs titer ≥10mIU/mL. A 4.9- and 11.4-fold decrease in anti-HBs GMTs were observed during the first year post-booster in Group A and B, respectively. One year post-booster, the two groups were equivalent: ≥98.8% of subjects had an anti-HBs ≥10mIU/mL. In group A, five years post-booster, 96.8% had a titer ≥10mIU/mL; the GMT was 17-fold higher than the GMT 5 years post-vaccination (p<0.0001). In both groups, there was a strong positive correlation (p<0.0001) between anti-HBs titers observed post-primary vaccination and at following study time points (r=0.70-0.90). Three doses of RB administered at the age of 8-10 years induce a 10 years long-lasting immunity in virtually all vaccinees. The booster does not appear necessary on a 10 years perspective.

Authors

Vladimir Gilca Corresponding author: vladimir.gilca@ssss.gouv.qc.ca

Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Laval University, Québec, Canada

Gaston De Serres

Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Laval University, Québec, Canada

Nicole Boulianne

Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Laval University, Québec, Canada

Philippe De Wals

Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Laval University, Québec, Canada

Donald Murphy

Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec, Québec, Canada

Gisele Trudeau

Direction régionale de santé publique de la capitale nationale, Québec, Canada

Genevieve Deceuninck

École de santé publique, Montreal University, Québec, Canada

Richard Massé

Centre hospitalier université Laval, Québec, Canada

Bernard Duval

Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Laval University, Québec, Canada