Thanks for above useful info. I'll clarify with the doctor. In fact if I'm not a carrier, I should have built some antibody after the 2nd dose right? Now it is 0 IU/L, how common and normal is this?
"The vaccine is readily available at your doctor's office or local health clinic. Three doses are generally required to complete the hepatitis B vaccine series, although there is an accelerated two-dose series for adolescents.
First Injection - At any given time
Second Injection - At least one month after the first dose
Third Injection - Six months after the first dose"
The above is from www.hepb.org, Hepatitis B Foundation. So I don't know why your third dose is not given at 6 month. Sometimes, a fourth dose is given at 12 months.
The following information is from Engerix-B:
"Persons 16 Through 65 Years of Age: Clinical trials in healthy adult and adolescent subjects (16 through 65 years of age) have shown that following a course of 3 doses of ENGERIX-B (20 mcg/1 mL) given at 0, 1, and 6 months, the seroprotection (antibody titers ≥10 mIU/mL) rate for all individuals was 79% at month 6 (5 months after second dose) and 96% at month 7 (1 month after third dose); the GMT for seroconverters was 2,204 mIU/mL at month 7 (N = 110).
An alternate 3-dose schedule (20 mcg/1 mL given at 0, 1, and 2 months) designed for certain populations (e.g., individuals who have or might have been recently exposed to the virus and travelers to high-risk areas) was also evaluated. At month 3 (1 month after third dose), 99% of all individuals were seroprotected and remained protected through month 12. On the alternate schedule, a fourth dose of ENGERIX-B (20 mcg/1 mL) at 12 months produced a GMT of 9,163 mIU/mL at month 13 (1 month after fourth dose) (N = 373).
Thank you very much both Stephen and Dee. Vaccine given by doctor was Hep B ENG ERIX. He said 3 dose should only be take a year later. Whereas my friends are 6 months later. And my vaccine is also different with theirs. I don't know why..
In fact since my husband is detected with HepB, I totally reject having sex, I'm too worried if get infected then will affect the next generation. So, this is definately tough for a newly married couple like us..
Hello, Stephen has given you great advice.
You have only done two of the 3 injections, it does take time for them to work.
I had Hep C, had two children and they did not get it from me. Thank God for that. I did not know I had hepatitis c at the time or I might have felt like y I know you are afraid but try to think positive.
Many chronic Hepatitis B women have babies and almost all the babies can be protected from infection by having HBIG injection and the first dose of a three dose vaccination within 12 hrs after birth. So vertical transmission is no longer an issue.
It is too early to say whether you were infected. Vaccine failure is not uncommon. Also, Hepatitis B vaccine is usually a 3 dose regime, and you seemed to have only two. Also antibodies do not appear instantly. Make sure the vaccine you took was properly stored and administered. CDC is the best source of information regarding vaccines.
Before you have protective level of antibodies, you should practice safe sex.