Early appearance of neutralizing antibodies after vaccination with an inactivated hepatitis A vaccine

Sera from 30 subjects vaccinated with the Pasteur Merieux Serums & Vaccins (PM) inactivated hepatitis A vaccine, and from 30 subjects vaccinated with the Smithkline Beecham (SB) inactivated hepatitis A vaccine, were tested in two laboratories in order to provide comparative data on neutralizing activities of vaccine-induced antibodies. Sera were also evaluated by a modified radioimmunoassay (mRIA) and results were compared to neutralization assays results. Neutralizing antibody titres provided by the two laboratories correlated well (coefficient or correlation 0.42, P < 0.001). Neutralizing antibodies were detected after vaccination with both vaccines, and the kinetics of neutralizing antibody were the same with both vaccines. The titres gradually increased between the second week after the first dose and the post-booster dose (week 28). A strong booster effect of the booster vaccine dose on neutralizing titres was observed. Significantly higher neutralizing antibody titres with the PM vaccine were observed as early immune response on week 2 titres on both series of results. Vaccine-induced neutralizing antibody titres and vaccine-induced antibody mRIA titres correlated well (coefficient of correlation 0.82 and 0.72, respectively, P < 0.0001 in both cases). These results demonstrate early appearance of neutralizing antibody at high titre with the PM vaccine.