[The hepatitis B vaccination campaign carried out from 1982 to 1984 using the Hevac B Pasteur vaccine among 6162 employees of Vaud hospitals].

6162 Swiss hospital employees were vaccinated against hepatitis B from 1982-1984 with Hevac B Pasteur vaccine. Vaccination was offered free of charge to 8471 employees, 72% of whom accepted a series of three injections and 50% a booster about 15 months later. Side effects, all benign, brief and rapidly resolved, were observed after 4% of injections in 7% of patients. Side effects after each of the three injections were noted in 0.7% of subjects. These figures are below those of other authors. -Concentrations of protective anti-HBs antibodies produced by the vaccination were measured by sampling of subjects. Four years after the beginning of the vaccinations the subjects had an average concentration of 87 mU/ml without booster and 595 mU/ml with booster. On average these concentrations are higher in employees more heavily exposed to hepatitis B than in the others. They are also higher in vaccines than in subjects immunized after natural infection, in whom they were 138 mU/ml. Production of anti-HBs antibodies was observed in 94% of subjects vaccinated.-In conclusion, the preparation used proved effective and well tolerated. This observation should help to foster more general use of vaccination campaigns in exposed populations.