Evaluation of initiating a hepatitis B vaccination schedule with one vaccine and completing it with another

The purpose of this study was to determine if a hepatitis B vaccination schedule initiated with one recombinant DNA vaccine could be completed with another. Forty-eight adults on a hepatitis B vaccination schedule of 0, 1 and 6 months had received their first two doses with Merck Sharpe and Dohme's recombinant DNA (MSD rDNA) vaccine (Recombivax HB) at its adult dose of 10 micrograms. At month 6, the subjects were randomized to receive SmithKline Beecham's recombinant DNA (SB rDNA) vaccine (Engerix-B) at its adult dose of 20 micrograms or MSD rDNA vaccine. Just prior to the third dose of SB rDNA or MSD rDNA vaccine, the geometric mean anti-HBs titres (GMT) were 161 and 168 mIU ml-1 for the two groups, respectively. The GMT at month 7 were 4077 and 2654 mIU ml-1 for those who had received SB rDNA or MSD rDNA vaccine, respectively. This study demonstrates that a hepatitis B vaccination schedule initiated with MSD rDNA vaccine can be completed with SB rDNA vaccine.