Inactivated Hepatitis B Virus Vaccine

Abstract

Worldwide, recommendations for using hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine will vary in accordance with local patterns of HBV transmission. In the United States, an area of low HBV prevalence, certain groups are at substantially greater risk than the general population of acquiring infection. It is for these higher-risk groups that the vaccine is currently recommended. To date, 12 000 individuals have been given this vaccine, and no untoward effects have been observed over periods of time extending up to 3 years. The recommendations that follow are intended as initial guides for immunization practice, and will be modified as additional data and experience are accumulated. Because the cost of this vaccine is high, a discussion of the cost effectiveness of prevaccination susceptibility testing is included.