Will a Baby’s Hepatitis B Vaccine Fail to Protect Them As an Adult

Why do some people think that a baby’s hepatitis B vaccine will fail to protect them as an adult?

The usual suspects…

Will a Baby’s Hepatitis B Vaccine Fail to Protect Them As an Adult

To make his case that hepatitis B vaccines don’t work, Peter McCullough pulled out a 2018 study.

The study, Implementation of hepatitis B vaccine in high-risk young adults with waning immunity, did find that “vaccinated infants who are now adolescents do not possess a protective level of anti-HB surface antigen (anti-HBs) (≥10 mIU/ml).”

Surprisingly, that doesn’t actually mean that the hepatitis B vaccine doesn’t work…

In fact, the study that Peter McCullough mentions actually proves that the hepatitis B vaccine does work and that it provides long term protection to children!

Wait, what?

“Healthy, immunocompetent, individuals who received HB vaccine according to recommended schedules are considered to be immune to HB infection. Presence of anamnestic response in the majority of individuals vaccinated in infancy is indicative of long-term protection.”

Update on the recommended use of Hepatitis B vaccine 

The anamnestic response refers to an increase in relatively low antibody levels after a booster dose of a vaccine is given.

Basically, the anamnestic response means that your immune system remembers how to make antibodies against an antigen, even though it isn’t still making them.

That’s important, because it means your immune system will be able to make those antibodies if necessary!

“Immunological memory for HBV vaccine outlasts the presence of anti-HBs and HBV vaccination program provides effective long term protection even in children showing waning or undetectable concentrations of anti-HBs. This signifies no need for a booster dose especially to healthy children.”

Early and long term anamnestic response to HBV booster dose among fully vaccinated Egyptian children during infancy

And no, it doesn’t mean that you need to get a booster dose.

“Boosters may be used to provide reassurance of protective immunity against benign breakthrough infection.”

Are booster immunisations needed for lifelong hepatitis B immunity?

The booster dose just shows that the anamnestic response is actually working.

“In other words, loss of antibody does not necessarily means loss of immunity to HBV antigens, due to the presence of immunological memory. Accordingly, the individuals whose anti-HBs levels decline to the <10 mIU/mL may not be at risk of hepatic disease since they have HBsAg-specific immunological memory. Following the exposure to HBV, the presence of the immunological memory rapidly leads to a robust anamnestic response, which prevents acute disease and chronic infection.”

The persistence of anti-HBs antibody and anamnestic response 20 years after primary vaccination with recombinant hepatitis B vaccine at infancy

As do studies of children of who were vaccinated at birth and now have less hepatitis B.

“The number of HB virus (HBV) carriers, both children and young adults, who were born after universal HB vaccination was markedly reduced… The HB vaccine is the first vaccine shown to be effective in preventing the occurrence of chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. Universal vaccination campaign will contribute to the eventual eradication of HBV-associated disease.”

The Success of a Universal Hepatitis B Immunization Program as Part of Thailand’s EPI after 22 Years’ Implementation

So don’t believe the propaganda about the hepatitis B vaccinate from Peter McCullough.

A vaccine that actually prevents cancer!

More on Hepatitis B Vaccines

• All Adults Need a Hepatitis B Vaccine
• Did Hepatitis B Deaths Increase After the Hepatitis B Vaccine Was Introduced?
• Did Your Hepatitis B Antibody Test Come Back Negative?
• What to Do If Your Child Is Exposed to Hepatitis B
• Don’t Skip Your Baby’s Hepatitis B Shot
• Why We Vaccinate Babies Against Hepatitis B
• Early and long term anamnestic response to HBV booster dose among fully vaccinated Egyptian children during infancy
• Humoral Immune Memory to Hepatitis B Vaccine after Primary Vaccination of Children and Adolescents in Assiut, Egypt
• The persistence of anti-HBs antibody and anamnestic response 20 years after primary vaccination with recombinant hepatitis B vaccine at infancy
• Immunity to Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Infection Two Decades after Implementation of Universal Infant HBV Vaccination: Association of Detectable Residual Antibodies and Response to a Single HBV Challenge Dose
• Update on the recommended use of Hepatitis B vaccine 
• Are booster immunisations needed for lifelong hepatitis B immunity?
• The persistence of anti-HBs antibody and anamnestic response 20 years after primary vaccination with recombinant hepatitis B vaccine at infancy
• The Success of a Universal Hepatitis B Immunization Program as Part of Thailand’s EPI after 22 Years’ Implementation