HBV Vaccination Status and Response to Hepatitis B Vaccine Among Iranian Dentists, Correlation With Risk Factors and Preventive Measures

Abstract

Background:Studies showed that HBV vaccination and consequent level of antibody are not completely adequate among dentists despite performance of highly exposure prone procedures.Objectives:The objectives of the study were to evaluate the levels of responsiveness to HBV vaccine and to determine the occupational factors associated among dental staff.Materials and Methods:In total, 1612 dental health care workers were recruited. The level of anti-HBs was tested using a commercially enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Data on demographic, risk factors associated with dental practice and level of protective procedures and occupational exposure aspects were collected through self-reported questionnaires.Results:Of 1538 vaccinated individuals, 55 (3.7%), 126 (8.4%) and 1309 (87.9%) had received one, two and full three doses of vaccine, respectively. One-hundred-seventy-six (11.5%) were nonimmune (anti-HBs < 10 IU/mL) and 1362 (88.5%) were immune (anti-HBs > 10 IU/ mL). 392/542 (72.3%) of dentists who received their third dose of vaccination less than five years before the commencement of study were completely immune compared to those who had completed all three recommended doses in a longer period (308/491, 64.3%) (P = 0.001). Fifty-eight (3.59%) of participants did not receive any HBV vaccine at all; however, they had positive results for anti-HBs, indicating a past HBV infection. Statistically, the levels of anti-HBs were significantly associated with gender, age, duration of dental practice engagement and regularly use of mask, glasses and shield.Conclusions:Since dental care workers have a high risk of exposure to hepatitis virus, they should be advised to receive hepatitis B vaccine and it should be confirmed if they have acquired immunity to HBV by testing the level of anti-HBs.

Strategy to control occupational risk for Hepatitis B: impact on the vaccination and seroconversion rates in dentistry students

“…Moreover, no association was observed between seroconversion after three doses of vaccine and gender, as was shown in the research of Alavian et al 28 . However, associations of female gender with higher antibody titer values have been shown, as has been observed in previous studies 3,26 . The majority of studies have shown that a longer interval of time between the last dose of vaccine and undergoing the anti-HBs test leads to significant impact on the seroprotection indexes, with a better response being obtained when the seroconversion test was performed in up to 6 months after vaccination 2,26,28 .…”

“…However, associations of female gender with higher antibody titer values have been shown, as has been observed in previous studies 3,26 . The majority of studies have shown that a longer interval of time between the last dose of vaccine and undergoing the anti-HBs test leads to significant impact on the seroprotection indexes, with a better response being obtained when the seroconversion test was performed in up to 6 months after vaccination 2,26,28 . In a study with professionals, it was observed that individuals who received the third dose of vaccine less than 5 years ago had higher titers of antibodies than those who received the last dose longer than 5 years ago 26 .…”

“…The majority of studies have shown that a longer interval of time between the last dose of vaccine and undergoing the anti-HBs test leads to significant impact on the seroprotection indexes, with a better response being obtained when the seroconversion test was performed in up to 6 months after vaccination 2,26,28 . In a study with professionals, it was observed that individuals who received the third dose of vaccine less than 5 years ago had higher titers of antibodies than those who received the last dose longer than 5 years ago 26 . The levels of anti-HBs after vaccination decline over time, which may be explained by various factors, among them smoking, obesity, aging, chronic diseases, and genetic or immunosuppressive factors 2,13,24 .…”

“…This criterion is controversial in the literature, because it has been demonstrated that intervals longer than those recommended have provided equivalent results. Therefore, although the time interval between doses had not been respected, there was no need to re-initiate the scheme, but it was important to verify the previous vaccination situation 26 . On the other hand, researches have shown that there was association between the fact of respecting the time interval between doses and the serum level of anti-HBs antibodies 27 .…”

Imunização contra a Hepatite B e os Acidentes Ocupacionais: Importância do Conhecimento na Odontologia

“…Essa problemática é embasada no referencial teórico sobre a necessidade da imunização contra o vírus VHB a partir da compreensão sobre as consequências à saúde desses profissionais que negligenciam a dose vacinal (MOMENI et al, 2014;KUMAR et al, 2015). A vacinação contra a hepatite B torna-se uma grande aliada na preservação da saúde do indivíduo, visto que é a forma mais eficaz de amplo acesso e cobertura populacional, principalmente daqueles que estão em contato direto com fluídos corporais, sangue e materiais cortantes (REZENDE et al, 2010).…”