TY - JOUR
T1 - Significance of Isolated Antibody to Hepatitis B Core Antigen Determined by Immune Response to Hepatitis B Vaccination
AU - Draelos, Michael
AU - Morgan, Tim
AU - Schifman, Ron B.
AU - Sampliner, Richard E.
PY - 1987/9/4
Y1 - 1987/9/4
N2 - The immune response to hepatitis B vaccine was studied in 14 individuals with isolated, high-titer antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) and examined as an indicator of this serologic pattern’s significance. Four subjects demonstrated a low-titer antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) on repeated testing, and three in this subgroup had anamnestic responses (anti-HBs, 82 to 140 ratio units) after vaccination. Compared with 22 seronegative controls, the remaining ten had significantly higher anti-HBs response rates (78% vs 22%, P=.003) and median anti-HBs titers (4 vs 0 ratio units, P =.008) two weeks after vaccination. One of ten subjects had an anamnestic response, while another exhibited no response. The general pattern of anti-HBs responsiveness observed in those subjects with isolated, high-titer anti-HBc was intermediate between seronegative and anti-HBs—positive groups and may indicate a state of waning immunity after natural infection. Hepatitis B vaccination with follow-up anti-HBs testing should be done for those patients with isolated, high-titer anti HBc to help exclude chronic infection and boost protective immunity.
AB - The immune response to hepatitis B vaccine was studied in 14 individuals with isolated, high-titer antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) and examined as an indicator of this serologic pattern’s significance. Four subjects demonstrated a low-titer antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) on repeated testing, and three in this subgroup had anamnestic responses (anti-HBs, 82 to 140 ratio units) after vaccination. Compared with 22 seronegative controls, the remaining ten had significantly higher anti-HBs response rates (78% vs 22%, P=.003) and median anti-HBs titers (4 vs 0 ratio units, P =.008) two weeks after vaccination. One of ten subjects had an anamnestic response, while another exhibited no response. The general pattern of anti-HBs responsiveness observed in those subjects with isolated, high-titer anti-HBc was intermediate between seronegative and anti-HBs—positive groups and may indicate a state of waning immunity after natural infection. Hepatitis B vaccination with follow-up anti-HBs testing should be done for those patients with isolated, high-titer anti HBc to help exclude chronic infection and boost protective immunity.
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U2 - 10.1001/jama.1987.03400090077037
DO - 10.1001/jama.1987.03400090077037
M3 - Article
C2 - 2957523
AN - SCOPUS:0023644059
SN - 0098-7484
VL - 258
SP - 1193
EP - 1195
JO - JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association
JF - JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association
IS - 9
ER -