Two Superb Vaccines Against Hepatitis B in Mexican Standoff-Reply

In Reply. —To clarify and extend major points in our previous letter, 1 both Heptavax-B and Recombivax-HB (the only hepatitis B vaccines licensed in the United States) have been well tolerated, highly immunogenic, and equally effective in preventing hepatitis B when used at their respective recommended doses (Heptavax-B, 20 μg for adults and 10 μg for children; Recombivax-HB, 10μg for adults and 5 μg for children). Although antibody titers after three-dose regimens of Heptavax-B generally have been somewhat higher than after administration of Recombivax-HB, there are no significant differences between them with respect to seroconversion rates in healthy adults or children. Similarly, while persistence of vaccine-induced antibodies seems to be directly related to peak titer after vaccination, decline in titer over time is of no concern in terms of protection against clinically significant infections. 2 The long incubation period of hepatitis B provides sufficient time for anamnestic antibody responses in