Antibody titres after primary and booster vaccination of infants and young children with a virosomal hepatitis A vaccine (Epaxal ®)

• Published in: Vaccine 2003-11, Vol.21 (31), p.4588-4592
• Main Authors: Usonis, V., Bakasénas, V., Valentelis, R., Katiliene, G., Vidzeniene, D., Herzog, C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Aluminium-free vaccine; Aluminum; Antigens; Biological and medical sciences; Body temperature; Child; Child, Preschool; Confidence intervals; Drug dosages; Epaxal; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hepatitis; Hepatitis A; Hepatitis A Vaccines - administration & dosage; Hepatitis A Vaccines - immunology; Hepatitis A virus; Hepatitis Antibodies - analysis; Hepatitis Antibodies - biosynthesis; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunization Schedule; Immunization, Secondary; Immunogenicity; Infant; Infants; Infections; Infectious diseases; Influenza; Male; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Pilot Projects; Preschool children; Studies; Vaccine; Vaccines; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies; Viral diseases; Viral hepatitis; Virology; Virosomes
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/S0264-410X(03)00509-7

To evaluate the immunogenicity and tolerability of Epaxal ® in infants and children, 30 infants (aged 6–7 months) and 30 children (aged 5–7 years) received a single intramuscular dose of the aluminium-free virosomal hepatitis A virus (HAV) vaccine Epaxal ® and a booster dose after 12 months. Anti-HAV antibody titres were measured at baseline (before injection), at 1 and 12 months after primary vaccination, and 1 month after the booster vaccination. Sixteen evaluable infants had maternal anti-HAV antibodies at baseline. Complete seroprotection (titre ≥20 mIU/ml) was achieved by all infants and children at Month 1 and at Month 12. Additionally, all subjects showed a strong antibody response to booster vaccination. In infants without maternal anti-HAV antibodies, the response was four-fold higher than in those with maternal anti-HAV antibodies. Both doses of Epaxal ® were well tolerated. These preliminary data suggest that Epaxal ® is an effective hepatitis A vaccine for children and infants from 6 months of age.