infectious diseases
Hepatitis B (HepB) Vaccine
Preparations ofHepatitis B Vaccine
Hepatitis B vaccineis produced using recombinant DNA technology. A plasmid containing the gene for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is inserted into common baker’s yeast, which then produces HBsAg. The HBsAg is harvested and purified. This vaccine cannot cause hepatitis B virus infection because no potentially infectious viral DNA or complete viral particles are produced during this process. Several vaccines are available. Two single-antigen vaccines, Engerix-B and Recombivax HB, are conjugated with aluminum. Heplisav-B (HepB-CpG) uses the immune-stimulating adjuvant, cytidine-phosphate-guanosine oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN). PreHevbrio contains the small (S), middle (pre-S2), and large (pre-S1) hepatitis B surface antigens. A combined vaccinehepatitis A vaccine/hepatitis B vaccineis also available. 