Type B hepatitis after needle-stick exposure: prevention with hepatitis B immune globulin: final report of Veterans Administration cooperative study

L. B. Seeff, E. C. Wright, H. J. Zimmerman, H. J. Alter, A. A. Dietz, B. F. Felsher, J. D. Finkelstein, P. Garcia-Pont, J. L. Gerin, H. B. Greenlee, J. Hamilton, P. V. Holland, P. M. Kaplan, T. Kiernan, R. S. Koff, C. M. Leevy, V. J. McAuliffe, N. Nath, R. H. Purcell, E. R. SchiffC. C. Schwartz, C. H. Tamburro, Z. Vlahcevic, R. Zemel, D. S. Zimmon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

272 Scopus citations

Abstract

Hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) and immune serum globulin (ISG) were examined in a randomized, double-blind trial to assess their relative efficacies in preventing type B hepatitis after needle-stick exposure to B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive donors. Clinical hepatitis developed in 1.4% of HBIG in 5.9% of ISG recipients (P = 0.016), and seroconversion (anti-HBs) occurred in 5.6% and 20.7% of them respectively (P < 0.001). Mild and transient side-effects were noted in 3.0% of ISG and in 3.2% of HBIG recipients. Available donor sera were examined for DNA polymerase (DNAP) and e antigen and antibody (HBeAg; anti-HBe). Both DNAP and HBeAg showed a highly statistically significant correlation with the infectivity of HBsAg-positive donors. Hepatitis B immune globulin remained significantly superior to ISG in preventing type B hepatitis even when the analysis was confined to these two high-risk subgroups. The efficacy of ISG in preventing type B hepatitis cannot be ascertained because a true placebo group was not included.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)285-293
Number of pages9
JournalUnknown Journal
Volume88
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1978
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Internal Medicine

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