Original Research Article
Year: 2021 | Month: August | Volume: 8 | Issue: 8 | Pages: 510-515
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20210869
Estimation of Anti-HBs Titer in Health Care Professionals of a Tertiary Care Centre of Southern Assam
Debadatta Dhar Chanda1, Atanu Chakravarty2, Barnamoy Bhattacharjee3
1Associate Prof of Microbiology & P.I VRDL, Silchar Medical College & Hospital, Silchar-14, Assam
2Assistant Professor of Microbiology, Silchar Medical College & Hospital, Silchar, Assam
3Post Graduate Trainee in M.D. Microbiology, Silchar Medical College & Hospital, Silchar, Assam
Corresponding Author: Debadatta Dhar Chanda
ABSTRACT
Background- Due to occupational exposure to blood, body fluids and sharps, the health care professionals are at increased risk of contracting the Hepatitis B virus infection than general population. To combat this, all the health care professionals must be immunized with protective level of anti-HBs but anti-HBs titer gradually wanes with passage of time and may be influenced by gender, smoking or chewing tobacco, diabetes mellitus etc. This study was thus carried out to find the percentage of health care professionals with protective titer of anti-HBs and find the association (if any) of low anti-HBs titer and factors like gender, smoking, diabetes mellitus and time elapsed post vaccination.
Method- This cross-sectional study has been carried out with proper ethical clearance from May2018- September2019 in Serology section of VRDL under Department of Microbiology in a Medical College of Southern Assam on serum samples collected from 150 health care professionals vaccinated with 3 doses of recombinant HBsAg vaccine atleast 5years back. Anti-HBs IgG concentration was measured by conventional ELISA in multistandard mode.
Result- Out of 150 participants,95 were males and 55 were females.27 participants smoked/chewed tobacco,8 had diabetes mellitus. Booster dose was received by 23. Protective level of anti-HBs IgG (>10 IU/ml) was found in 66% (98/150) of HCP only. Low anti-HBs titer has been found to be significantly associated with Diabetes mellitus (p–0.03) and passage of more than 10 years post primary vaccination(p-0.005) but no significant association has been found with gender, smoking and history of blood transfusion.
Conclusion- HBsAg vaccine doesn’t impart everlasting protection. So, all HCP, especially those with co-morbidities should get their anti-HBs titer estimated after vaccination to check out for adequate seroconversion and attainment of protective titer. If found inadequate, they should go for repeat vaccination /booster doses.
Keywords: Healthcare professionals, Vaccinated, Anti HBs IgG, Assam,
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