Vaccine against hepatitis B--18 months prevention in a high risk setting.

The development of a vaccine against hepatitis B prepared with purified and inactivated HBs Ag is described. This vaccine has been applied in patients and staff members of haemodialysis centres. Safety and efficiency of the vaccine are very satisfactory. The response of patients to immunisation was significantly lower compared to the response of the staff members. None of the volunteers who had a primary response to immunisation developed signs of clinical or biological hepatitis.