Hepatitis B virus infection and vaccination status among health care workers of a tertiary care hospital in Bangladesh

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global public health challenge. Health care workers (HCWs) have an extra risk of getting infected from their workplace. This study aimed at estimating prevalence of HBV infection and vaccination compliance among HCWs in a tertiary hospital in Chittagong, Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: Data were obtained from a stratified survey conducted in a tertiary care hospital Chittagong, Bangladesh among HCWs in the year 2012. A proportionate to size random sample was drawn per HCWs category. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics and risk factors. With 10 ml collected venous blood enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques were used to test sera for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs), and total hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc). Descriptive models were used for analysis with the software SPSS-20. Results: Among the 113 participants, the overall seroprevalence of HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc was 8%, 30.1%, and 48.7%, respectively. Fifty-four (47%) subjects were vaccinated. A significantly higher prevalence of vaccination compliance rates was observed among doctors (100%) and nurses (44.4%) than technicians (45%) and assistants (47.8%). Among the 113 subjects, 2 (22.8%) doctors were anti-HBc-positive though all of them were vaccinated and 19 (52.8%) nurses, 7 (17.5%) technicians, and 6 (30.0%) assistants were anti-HBc-positive. Among all the participants, 30.7% HCWs were susceptible to infection of HBV and could potentially be protected through vaccination. Conclusions: A significant numbers of HCWs are unvaccinated even at health care center of tertiary care level suggesting a need for early implementation of HBV vaccination program.