Abstract
Background: The risk of contracting Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection by health care workers (HCW) is relatively high. Currently no data is available on the immune response to HBV vaccination in Allied Health Science (AHS) students of the University of Peradeniya (UoP). Objective: The present study was undertaken to test the immune response (anti-HBs) to HBV vaccination in a group of vaccinees from the Faculty of AHS, UoP. Method: Vaccinated AHS students (n=89) were recruited for the study with the ethical clearance obtained from the Faculty of AHS, UoP. Serum samples were tested for the presence of anti-HBs using an ELISA. Results were analyzed using MS-Excel 2010. Results: Of the 89 AHS students tested, one student (1.12%) was a non-responder to the HBV vaccine after a single course of vaccination and 27 (30.33%) students had antibody levels between 10-100mI/mL. Most of the students (n=61) had antibody levels >100mIU/mL. The time lapse after completing the vaccination differed among students at the time of testing, but the difference between the time lapse and the levels of anti-HBs levels was not statistically significant ( P= 0.5). Age of the study participants ranged from 23 to 27 years with Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim students, the majority being Sinhala students (n=82). Conclusions: Based on these findings, 1.12% of young healthy AHS students did not develop a protective immune response (anti-HBs) after a single course of vaccination. All vaccinees must test their antibody status at 6 weeks or later after completing the full course of HBV vaccination.
Highlights
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus of the Hepadnaviridae family.[1]
The time lapse after completing the vaccination differed among students at the time of testing, but the difference between the time lapse and the levels of anti-HBs levels was not statistically significant (P=0.5)
A cross sectional study was performed using a sample of vaccinated students, from the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Peradeniya, who consented to give blood sample to detect the immune response to HBV vacation by testing for anti-HBs levels
Summary
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus of the Hepadnaviridae family.[1]. More than 2 billion people living today have been infected with HBV at some point in their life with about 400 million people estimated to be chronic carriers of the virus.[3]. The risk of contracting HBV by HCW is four times greater than that of the general adult population.[3,5] The highest rates are seen among dentists, surgeons, laboratory workers, dialysis workers, cleaning service employees and nurses.[3,5]. The risk of contracting Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection by health care workers (HCW) is relatively high. No data is available on the immune response to HBV vaccination in Allied Health Science (AHS) students of the University of Peradeniya (UoP)
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