Increasing hepatitis B vaccination coverage of healthcare workers — global lessons for South Africa

• Published in: Current opinion in immunology Vol. 71; pp. 6 - 12
• Main Authors: Burnett, Rosemary Joyce, Dramowski, Angela, Amponsah-Dacosta, Edina, Meyer, Johanna Catharina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2021
• Subjects: Health Personnel; Hepatitis B - immunology; Hepatitis B - prevention & control; Hepatitis B Vaccines - immunology; Hepatitis B virus - immunology; Humans; South Africa; Vaccination Coverage; South Africa
• ISSN: 0952-7915; 1879-0372
• DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2021.03.010

•South African healthcare workers are at high risk of contracting hepatitis B.•Uptake of hepatitis B vaccination by South African healthcare workers is low.•Free hepatitis B vaccination results in high uptake by healthcare workers.•Education of healthcare workers builds demand for hepatitis B vaccination.•Mandating hepatitis B vaccination is unnecessary when demand is high. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of contracting hepatitis B (HB), a severe blood-borne vaccine-preventable disease, caused by HB virus (HBV) infection. Low HB vaccine (HepB) coverage has resulted in suboptimal protection and high HBV infection rates in South African HCWs. Studies from Africa have identified cost; unavailability/lack of access to HepB; and lack of awareness/knowledge of HB and HepB, as barriers to HCW uptake. Studies from Europe show little difference in HepB coverage between countries mandating versus recommending HepB. Providing easy and sustained access to free HepB to student HCWs, together with education about HB and HepB, are recommended to create demand for HepB. Only if this fails should mandatory vaccination be considered.