Hepatitis B vaccination and immunization of dental students

Abstract

Aim: to determine the previous prevalence of vaccination and immunity / serum conversion and after vaccination against hepatitis B in dental academics. Material and Methods: A study was carried out on 101 undergraduate dental students who were enrolled in 2017 and those who enrolled in the first half of 2018. The research consisted of two stages: the first one (T1) with a self-administered questionnaire with epidemiological data with a vaccination card check and by applying the test to confirm the immunization. The second one (T2) corresponding to vaccination non-seroconverted and never vaccinated in addition to the immunity test. Results: The age of the participants varied between 18 and 26 years (average of 21.5). Most were white (57.8%), followed by brown (31.6%) and black (8.4%). Seventy-one students (70.3%) entered the course due to wide competition and 30 (29.7%) by quota system. it was verified that 97 participants (96%) were immunized against HB, compared to 4 (4%) that were not. This result was statistically significant (χ² = 85.63, p <0.001). In the binomial probabilistic analysis of the risk factors studied, increasing age (OR: 1.08; 95% CI: 1.02-1.14), history of blood transfusion (OR: 6.41; 95% CI: 1.53 6.83), increasing in the number of periods of clinical activity during the course (OR: 1.71; 95% CI: 1.02-2.92), and history of accident with biological material (OR: 6.82; 95% CI: 1.59 -7.15) were significantly associated with HBV infection in the studied populationConclusion: The prevalence of seroconversion was 96.03%, corresponding to 97 immunized students. Although all dental academics completed the vaccination cycle (3 doses), 4 were not immunized. Vaccination and the need for serological testing (anti-HBs) for immunization verification should be encouraged to all dental students.