[Prevention of HBs antigen-positive serum hepatitis with hyperimmune-globulin anti-HBs]

Selection of donors to prevent HBs-antigen positive serum hepatitis has been only partially successful. For this reason the attempt was made to prevent the disease by passive immunisation with anti-HBs antibodies. A prerequisite for the systematic use of such immunisation is the determination of antibody threshold which would still provide protection. Plasma elimination of transmitted. HBs antibodies was serially measured in five children with terminal renal failure and ten normal subjects after intensive contact with HBs antibodies. Half-life values indicated marked individual variations which have to be taken into account with long-term prophylaxis. In the children they were 28.5, 25.9, 16.6, 11.7 and 7.8 days, respectively. In the healthy subjects the half-life averaged 20.3 days. The long-term programme developed by the authors appears to be suitable for revealing the value of hyperimmune-globulin anti-HBs in the prevention of HBs-antigen positive serum hepatitis.