[Vaccination against hepatitis B in man]

The preparation of a vaccine against hepatitis B is described. The vaccine is prepared from the HB viral coat (HBs Ag) purified and formalin inactivated. The HBs Ag is isolated and purified from the blood of healthy HBs Ag positive donors by means of an immunoadsorbent technique. The inocuity and efficacy were tested on chimpanzees. Vaccination was then applied in an attempt to protect patients and ward staff in a high risk haemodialysis unit. The efficacy of the vaccine was assessed by humoral and cellular anti-HBs immune reactions. The study of HBs antigenaemia in vaccinated and non-vaccinated subjects indicate that this vaccine protects against hepatitis B. Many arguments are in favor of aetiological role of the hepatitis B virus in the genesis of primary liver cancer in tropical areas. Immunization against hepatitis B could be the first example of prevention of a potentially oncogenic viral infection.