Recombinant Human Hepatitis B Vaccine Initiating Alopecia Areata: Testing the Hypothesis Using the C3H/HeJ Mouse Model

In a 2009 study, researchers used the C3H/HeJ mouse model to explore the potential link between recombinant human hepatitis B vaccine and the initiation of alopecia areata (AA). Initial tests on young adult female mice did not show a significant effect on AA induction (P = 0.5689). However, in older females, which are naturally prone to AA, the vaccine was associated with a significantly earlier onset of the condition (P = 0.0264). Despite these findings, larger subsequent trials that included controls for diphtheria and tetanus toxoids did not support the initial results. The study concluded that the recombinant hepatitis B vaccine, as well as the diphtheria and tetanus toxoid combination, did not induce AA in the C3H/HeJ mouse model.