The Open Virology Journal
2011, 5 : 109-113Published online 2011 October 14. DOI: 10.2174/1874357901105010109
Publisher ID: TOVJ-5-109
RESEARCH ARTICLE
GM-CSF Fails to Improve Immune Responses to Booster Hepatitis B Vaccination in HIV-Infected Individuals
2 Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
3 School of Medicine and Medicine Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
4 New York University, New York, NY, USA
* Address correspondence to this author at the Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, Campus Box 8011, St Louis, MO 63110, USA; Tel: (314) 454-8225; Fax: (314) 454-5392; E-mail: toverton@dom.wustl.edu
ABSTRACT
Background:
Hepatitis B (HBV) vaccination is an important preventive intervention for HIV-infected population. Data regarding booster HBV vaccine for persons with low HBV surface antibody (sAb) titers after vaccination in this immunocompromised population is lacking.
Methods:
We randomized 60 HIV-infected subjects lacking HBV protection after completion of 3 doses of HBV vaccine to receive a booster dose of HBV vaccine with 250mcg GM-CSF as an adjuvant or booster vaccine alone.
Results:
GM-CSF was safe with expected side effects. However, only 35% of persons receiving GM-CSF developed protective sAb while 50% in vaccine only arm developed protection (P = 0.47). Overall, only 28% of subjects maintained protective sAb 1 year after vaccination.
Conclusions:
GM-CSF failed to improve responses to the booster HBV vaccination. Overall, response was poor with only 42% of persons responding at one month post-vaccination confirming booster vaccination with the current HBV vaccine has poor immunogenicity among HIV-infected persons. Further research is needed to develop optimal vaccination strategies in HIV-infected persons.