Hepatitis B vaccine

A vaccine that protects against hepatitis B virus infection by inducing an immune response to the virus’s surface antigen.

Neutralizing antibody: An antibody that binds a pathogen or toxin and blocks its ability to infect or damage cells. Antibodies against surface antigen can prevent hepatitis B virus from entering liver cells.
Baruch Blumberg: An American physician and geneticist whose research identified the hepatitis B surface antigen. His discovery supplied the marker that made the first hepatitis B vaccine approach possible.
Universal hepatitis B vaccination: A public-health policy that recommends hepatitis B vaccination for all infants or all members of a population. Universal programs extend protection beyond groups identified as having elevated exposure risk.
Hepatitis A vaccine: A vaccine that protects against hepatitis A virus, which spreads mainly through contaminated food or water. It prevents a different viral hepatitis and does not protect against hepatitis B.
B cell: A lymphocyte that recognizes specific antigens and can develop into an antibody-secreting cell or memory cell. B cells produce the antibodies that provide the vaccine’s main protection.
Hepatitis B surface antigen: A protein on the hepatitis B virus surface that serves as a target for protective antibodies. Identifying this antigen defined the target used by both early and later vaccines.
Hepatitis B birth dose: A hepatitis B vaccine dose given to a newborn soon after birth, ideally within 24 hours. The birth dose helps prevent infection passed from an infected parent during delivery.
Hepatitis C vaccine: A vaccine intended to prevent hepatitis C virus infection; no such vaccine is currently available. Unlike hepatitis B, hepatitis C still has no licensed preventive vaccine.
Immunological memory: The immune system’s capacity to respond more rapidly and effectively after encountering an antigen again. Memory responses help sustain protection after the initial vaccine series.
Plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine: An early hepatitis B vaccine made from purified surface antigen collected from infected donors’ blood plasma. It was the first licensed vaccine approach before recombinant versions replaced it in routine use.

Linked from 7 pages