“…These infants were still susceptible to HBV, and a substantial portion of them will become HBsAg carriers after HBV infection [Beasley and Hwang, 19831. Because of the transient protection yielded by HBIG alone and the inadequate efficacy of hepatitis B vaccine alone (Lee, Hwang, Beasley, unpublished observations, 1985), many investigators have started the regimen of HBIG plus hepatitis B vaccine in blocking perinatal HBV transmission [Wong et al, 1984;Maze1 et al, 1984;Tada et al, 1982;Chung et al, 1985;Kanai et al, 1985;Piazza et al, 1985;Lo et al, 19851. With HBeAg-positive mothers, our government has adopted the policy of giving 0.5 ml of HBIG to the newborns as soon as possible after birth, followed by four doses of hepatitis B vaccine: at 1 week, 5 weeks, 9 weeks, and 12 months of age [The Hepatitis Control Committee and the Epidemiology Division of the Department of Health, 19851.…”