Absence of hepatitis B surface antigenemia after vaccination

Vaccination against hepatitis B is readily available and provides safe and effective immunization for individuals at increased risk for this disease. However, since the available vaccines employ a protein consisting of hepatitis B surface antigen, the question has arisen whether a detectable surface antigenemia might occur in recently vaccinated individuals. Employing two current immunoassays for hepatitis B surface antigen, we could not detect this marker in individuals either 1 hour or 24 hours after vaccination. We therefore conclude that the presence of surface antigen in the blood cannot be attributed to recent vaccination.