Incomplete long-term protection by hepatitis B vaccine

[John Harvey]

This is why real research gives our pseudoskeptical friends the horrors: it always bites the hand that feeds them.
Elizabeth Dent, Christine E Selvey, Andrew Bell, Joshua Davis, Malcolm I McDonald, "Incomplete protection against hepatitis B among remote Aboriginal adolescents despite full vaccination in infancy", Commun Dis Intell 2010; 34(4):435–439.
Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine long-term immunity to hepatitis B virus (HBV) in a cohort of adolescents who received plasma-derived HBV vaccine in 1989 and 1990 in a remote Australian Aboriginal community. This was done using a serological survey; primary outcome measures were cut-off titres of HBsAb, and the presence of HBcAb and/or HBsAg. Of 37 adolescents in the cohort, 4 (11%) had evidence of active infection, one with abnormal liver enzymes, 7 (19%) had evidence of past infection, 15 (41%) were HBsAb positive in low titre and 11 (30%) were classed as immune. It was concluded that there was relatively poor long-term serological immunity to HBV vaccination in this group; a finding which is in keeping with similar studies in Indigenous and remote populations elsewhere. This finding raises the concern that a significant proportion of Aboriginal adolescents in other remote communities (vaccinated in 1989 and 1990) were not adequately protected by the vaccine. If so, there will be an unexpected burden of chronic HBV infection in these settings and a substantial group who are non-immune, despite having received complete HBV vaccination courses as infants. The authors recommend follow-up serosurveys in remote Aboriginal communities to identify people with low HBsAb titres, especially those without an adequate anamnestic response to another dose of HBV vaccine. In addition, community-based active surveillance programs will be required to detect people with chronic HBV infection and provide access to monitoring and appropriate treatment. Commun Dis Intell 2010; 34(4):435–439.
Emphases above are mine.
The only evidence of immunity in the 30% of vaccine recipients "classed as immune" appears to be that they showed antibody titres (perhaps vaccine-induced, perhaps natural; without a control group of unvaccinated individuals, this cannot be determined) that the researchers generously interpreted as providing immunity. The study methodology leaves wide open the possibility that the vaccine offers zero protection in the long term. At least it was able to determine that any such protection is induced in no more than 30% of vaccine recipients.
The full report appears at .
Kind regards --
John
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"Gofman provides strong evidence that medical technology—specifically x-rays, CT scans, and mammography and fluoroscopy devices—are a contributing factor to 75% of new cancers. In… “Radiation from Medical Procedures in the Pathogenesis of Cancer and Ischemic Heart Disease: Dose-Response Studies with Physicians per 100,000 Population”, Gofman shows that as the number of physicians increases in a geographical area along with an increase in the number of x-ray diagnostic tests performed, the rate of cancer and ischemic heart disease also increases."
-- Gary Null, PhD; Carolyn Dean MD, ND; Martin Feldman, MD; Debora Rasio, MD; and Dorothy Smith, PhD, "Death by Medicine",
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"Where it is doing the right thing, a great power should be robust against embarrassment."
—Simon Jenkins, "U.S. embassy cables: The job of the media is not to protect the powerful from embarrassment", The Guardian 28 Nov 2010, .

[Rochelle Marsden]

Thanks for that one!!! I have forwarded it to my son and partner!! I have to say I was surprised by it but presume the "authorities" would say better 30% than nothing. I think nothing is what the BCG gives so am waiting for something on that to send them!!
Rochelle
Registered Homeopath with The Society of Homeopaths
EFT (Advanced) Practitioner
www.southporthomeopathy.co.uk

[John Harvey]

A pleasure.

John