Hepatitis B Virus Vaccine An Opportunity for Control

Excerpt

The relatively short history of the inactivated vaccine to prevent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been marked by alternating excitement and concern. Initially, there was excitement when Krugman and colleagues showed that a boiled plasma "vaccine" could induce protective antibody. There was still more excitement when large-scale production of plasmaderived HBV vaccine became feasible and the final product was shown to induce antibody. But later, concern arose regarding the safety of such a vaccine. The question then was, "Can inactivation of HBV and non A—non B agent(s) be guaranteed in the absence of cell-culture detection systems?"¹ As evidence for inactivation accumulated through chimpanzee and early human studies, confidence returned, and enthusiasm grew as additional studies demonstrated both safety and high efficacy.^2,3 The tide has now turned again as we consider the potential risks of transmitting an as yet to be identified agent of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome.