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There are various types of Hepatitis B vaccine.

Hepatitis B vaccine (recombinant)
Hepatitis B surface antigen; aluminium hydroxide 0.5 mg (adsorbant), thiomersal 1:20,000; vaccine; Gluten free.

Adult vaccine
1 mL dose of vaccine contains 10 microgram of hepatitis B surface antigen adsorbed onto approximately 0.5 mg aluminium hydroxide; thiomersal (mercury derivative) 1:20,000 added as a preservative.

H-B-Vax II hepatitis B vaccine (recombinant)
A noninfectious subunit viral vaccine derived from surface antigen (HBsAg or Australia antigen) of hepatitis B virus produced in yeast cells.

The antigen is harvested and purified from fermentation cultures of a recombinant strain of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae containing the gene for the adw subtype of HBsAg. The vaccine contains no detectable yeast DNA but may contain up to 1% yeast protein.
Adverse Reactions: Local pain and reactions; fatigue, headache, fever, GI upset; pharyngitis, URTI.

No adverse experiences were reported during clinical trials which could be related to changes in the titres of antibodies to yeast. As with any vaccine, there is the possibility that broad use of the vaccine could reveal adverse reactions not observed in clinical trials.

Hepatitis B Vaccines have been ruled in court to have caused a patient’s Multiple Sclerosis:

Entitlement; Hep B vaccine;
two months later, Devic’s Disease
(a variant of MS) then death
Petitioner has prevailed on the issue of entitlement. The medical records during decedent’s final hospitalization reflect that she died from demyelinating disease. Not only did decedent have a vaccine injury, but also her death was vaccine-related.

CONCLUSION
Petitioner is entitled to reasonable compensation. The undersigned hopes that the parties may reach an amicable settlement and will have a telephonic status conference soon with the parties to discuss further proceedings.

IT IS SO ORDERED
January 16, 2009 s/Laura D. Millman
DATE Laura D. Millman.

Hepatitis B vaccination of male newborns has also been linked to an increased chance of developing autistic spectrum disorder:

Universal newborn immunization with hepatitis
B vaccine was recommended in 1991; however, safety
findings are mixed. The Vaccine Safety Datalink Workgroup reported no association between hepatitis B vaccination at birth and febrile episodes or neurological adverse
events. Other studies found positive hepatitis B vaccination and ear infection, pharyngitis, and chronic arthritis; as well as receipt of early intervention/special education services (EIS); in probability samples of U.S. children. Children with autistic spectrum disorder(ASD) comprise a growing caseload for EIS. We evaluated the association between hepatitis B vaccination of male neonates and parental report of ASD.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study used U.S. probability samples obtained from National Health Interview Survey 1997–2002 datasets. Logistic regression modeling was used to estimate the effect of neonatal hepatitis B vaccination on
ASDrisk amongboys age 3–17 years with shot records, adjusted for race, maternal education, and two-parent household.

RESULTS:Boys who received the hepatitis B vaccine during the first month of life had 2.94 greater odds for ASD (nZ31 of 7,486; OR Z 2.94; p Z 0.03; 95% CI Z 1.10, 7.90)compared to later- or unvaccinated boys.Non-Hispanic white
boys were 61% less likely to have ASD(ORZ0.39; pZ0.04;95% CIZ0.16, 0.94) relative to non-white boys.

CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that U.S. male neonates vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine had a 3-fold greater risk of ASD; risk was greatest for non-white boys.
Source: Annals of Epidemiology, vol.19, no. 9, September 2009: 651-680.

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