[Efficacy of hepatitis B preventive vaccination].
Health care workers are at increased hepatitis B risk. In the course of a study with 5035 persons occupied at the Freiburg university hospital, efficacy of hepatitis B vaccination and duration of protection were investigated. Estimations of post-vaccination-anti Hbs showed that women, younger persons, persons with a body mass index < 25 and non-smokers had higher anti Hbs concentrations than men, elderly persons overweight persons and smokers. 2% of female and 1.5% of male vaccinees did not develop anti Hbs and 4.8% and 7.1%, respectively were low responders (anti Hbs < 100 < 10 IU/l). Estimations of vaccination efficacy revealed that even 10 years after basic immunisation at least 50% of all vaccinees should have anti Hbs concentrations > 100 IU/l. The results of the study show that vaccination of children in accordance with German and WHO recommendations will afford full protection (anti Hbs > 10 IU/l) in at least 99% of all cases.