Post vaccination hepatitis B antibody titer among medical students and interns vaccinated during a vaccination campaign, 2021-2022

Document Type : Original Article

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Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are vulnerable to occupational exposures to hepatitis B (HB) infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stipulate a post-vaccination anti-HBs titers ≥10 mIU/mL is protective. Objective: To determine the response rate of medical students and interns to a HB vaccination campaign and describe their post-vaccination immune status. Methods: A three-dose HB vaccination campaign was organized in the Faculty of Medicine of Ain Shams University between November 2021 and July 2022. Participants were asked to test for anti-HBs titer 1–2 months after receiving at least one dose of HB vaccination to verify their immune status. Results: A total of 950 medical students and interns received the first dose while 29% completed three doses. Interns and fifth year students were the highest group completing the full regimen; 60.5% and 47% respectively as well as female gender (35.6%). Out of 950, only 92 participants performed the post-vaccination testing for anti-HBs titer at variable intervals. Overall, 67.4% demonstrated a positive immune status for anti-HBs, 14.1% were low responders, and 18.5% were nonimmune/non-responders. Among participants who performed anti-HBs titer before vaccination, 70% were nonimmune. Non-responders among participants completing the three doses were 3.3%. There was a significant association between the number of doses received and positive immune status (p< 0.01). Conclusion: Most participants who checked their immune status developed protective anti-HBs levels. This campaign was an initiative that raised the awareness of participants to the importance of being immune for HB. HB immune response should be monitored in HCWs.

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