Comparative study of cutaneous scars and HAI antibodies after smallpox revaccination.

The number and aspect of cutaneous scars and the HAI antibody titer were recorded in 154 20-21-year-old subjects before smallpox revaccination, 30 and 300 days afterwards. In 38.3% of the vaccinees there were no postvaccinal scars 300 days after revaccination, but the absence of residual scars did not necessarily indicate a failure of immunization, since the increase in mean HAI antibody titer was significant in most of the cases.