Anti-Hepatitis B Antibody Levels In Immunized Medical Students: Are They At Risk?

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Keila Zaniboni Siqueira Batista, Lucas Pecker de Azambuja, Suzane de Souza, Maely Cordeiro de Souza, Caio Maurício Mendes de Cordova, Hercílio Higino da Silva Filho
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2019
• Subjects: Hepatitis B; HBsAg antibodies; Vaccination; Seroconversion; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0132-2018; https://doaj.org/article/7d0cb677461d4c81a1412366523d447b

Abstract INTRODUCTION Medical students have an occupational risk for hepatitis B (HB). This study sought to determine anti-HBs and anti-HBc IgG levels in vaccinated students, check their seroconversion, and correlate this with vaccination. METHODS One hundred and forty-three students’ blood samples and their vaccination schedules were analyzed. RESULTS: 65.7% were positive for anti-HBs; however, anti-HBs was absent in 34.3%. Only two samples were positive for anti-HBc IgG. CONCLUSIONS More than 30% of students did not have minimum protective levels. Comparing HBV vaccination and anti-HBs reactivity, the majority of reactive individuals received their last dose within the past 16 years.