[Vaccination against hepatitis B in a hemodialysis unit. A 4-year follow up (author's transl)].

From February 1976 to January 1980, 123 staff members and 84 hemodialysis patients were immunized against hepatitis B in an adult hemodialysis unit. The vaccine was prepared by purification of HBs Ag from human sera and was formalin inactivated. Vaccines were tested for seric markers of HB virus (HBs Ag, anti-HBs, anti-HBc) and serum transaminases (ALT, AST) before immunization and every month during the follow up. Tests for markers of auto-immunity were performed. The vaccinees were followed from 4 to 48 months. No evidence of long-lasting reactions to the HB vaccine or auto-immunity was observed. 91% of the staff members sero-converted for anti-HBs; none of them showed clinical, biologic or serologic signs of active HB infection; 62% of the hemodialysis patients sero-converted for anti-HBs; none of them became HBs Ag chronic carrier. These results were obtained despite the fact that the prevalence of HBs Ag chronic carriers was 32.7% when the study began. Active immunization proved to be a safer and efficient method to prevent HB infection in a hemodialysis unit.