Vaccination coverage and immunity against hepatitis B in public health dentists

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical Vol. 52; p. e20180534
• Main Authors: Garbin, Cléa Adas Saliba, Vanzo, Ketlin Lara Tosta, Moimaz, Suzely Adas Saliba, Garbin, Artênio José Ísper, Chiba, Fernando Yamamoto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical - SBMT 01.01.2019; Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT)
• Subjects: Adult; Brazil; Dentists; Female; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B - prevention & control; Hepatitis B Vaccines - administration & dosage; Humans; Immunization; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational Exposure - prevention & control; Occupational Exposure - statistics & numerical data; Public Health; Socioeconomic Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; TROPICAL MEDICINE; Vaccination Coverage; Young Adult; Brazil; Vaccination Coverage; Immunization; Dentists; Hepatitis B
• ISSN: 0037-8682; 1678-9849; 1678-9849
• DOI: 10.1590/0037-8682-0534-2018

Occupational exposure is a major risk factor for hepatitis B (HB) transmission. Vaccination coverage and immunity verification from 64 dentists of the Brazilian Unified Health System were investigated. An immunochromatographic method was used to verify immunity against the disease. Overall, 77.77% of participating dentists completed the vaccination schedule; 37.50% had negative anti-HBs test results. Furthermore, 60.93% of participants never underwent anti-HBs tests and 40% did not know how to correctly interpret results. Numerous dentists were not immune to the disease. Few participants previously performed the test, with many not knowing how to interpret the results.