antibodies question

[fiveworlds]

Why would somebody not develop antibodies after vaccination/infection??

[Xalatan]

There is a range of immune disorders that results in immunodeficiency. For example, adenine deaminase deficiency, scid, digeorge athymia. These may impair t or b cell function to the point of not being able to produce immmunoglobulins.

 

Acquired immunodeficiency may be due to HIV, high dose glucocorticoids, cyclosporine etc.

 

Also some vaccines are not antigenic enough to induce antibody production, for example hib needs conjugation for eliciting a proper response.

[fiveworlds]

The reason I am asking is in order for me to work in the healthcare service here I have to be vaccinated against hepatitis b but when they tested my blood on multiple occasions they couldn't find any antibodies after multiple vaccination attempts. I'm scared I won't be allowed work in healthcare as a result. I doubt I have ever acquired hep b because I had never had sex at the time, had blood contact I should be worried about etc. It is weird because my other vaccinations worked out okay and when they gave me the twinrex vaccine I was vaccinated against hep a but not hep b. So they are worried that maybe my body was killing off the anti hep bs but that maybe they needed to wait and test me in a few months to make sure as my levels did rise to 240 but they need at least 1000.

Edited January 23, 2016 by fiveworlds

[Xalatan]

HepB foundation defines HepB vaccine non-responders as not developing Anti-HbsAg after two full courses, and for whom acute or chronic HepB infection has been ruled out. 5-15% of people may be HepB vaccine non-responders.

 

http://www.hepb.org/professionals/vaccine_non-responders.htm

 

• Non-responders to vaccination who are HBsAg-negative should be considered susceptible to HBV infection and should be counseled regarding precautions to prevent HBV infection and the need to obtain HBIG prophylaxis for any known or probable percutaneous or permucosal exposure to HBsAg-positive blood.

Not sure if it would affect your ability to work though, since you may be working with needles.