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Med. Pr. 2003;54(5)

PERSISTENCE OF ANTI-HBS ANTIBODIES AFTER VACCINATION AGAINST HEPATITIS B IN MEDICAL STAFF OF THE CHILDRENśS MEMORIAL HEALTH INSTITUTE IN 1994-1998

PRZETRWANIE PRZECIWCIAŁ ANTY-HBs WŚRÓD PRACOWNIKÓW INSTYTUTU "POMNIK CENTRUM ZDROWIA DZIECKA" PO SZCZEPIENIACH PRZECIWKO WIRUSOW

Agnieszka Migdał1, Bogumiła Nowak-Parzygnat1, Kazimierz Madaliński2,3 1 Z Przychodni Przyzakładowej 2 Z Zakładu Mikrobiologii i Immunologii Klinicznej Instytutu "Pomnik Centrum Zdrowia Dziecka" w Warszawie 3 Z Zakładu Immunopatologii Państwowego Zakładu Higieny w Warszawie

Abstract

Background. The objective of the study was to assess the persistence of anti-HBs antibodies after vaccination against hepatitis B in the medical staff of the Childrenśs Memorial Health Institute in 1994-1998. Materials and Methods. The workers were vaccinated with Engerix B, 20 mg per dose, scheme: 0, 1, 6 and 60 months. The anti-HBs level in vaccinated persons was assessed 3 months after basic vaccination and 1 month after administration of a booster dose. The persistence of antibodies was analyzed 2 and 5 years after basic vaccination and 2 years following the booster dose. Results and Conclusions. The analysis revealed a very satisfactory response in 96.2% of workers ,including 84.0% persons with preventive titre above 100 iu/l. The absence of response was found in 3.8% of persons, and very weak (below 100 iu/l response in 12.2% of workers. After 5 years, the percentage of good and very good responders diminished to 54.5 and that of non-responders increased to 12.6. For 12.6% of workers, a booster dose after 5 years proved to be too late as they required earlier revaccination and individual monitoring of antibodies titre. Only 87.4% of workers showed the protective anti-HBs level after 5 years. Booster administration after 5 years improved the response in persons with anti-HBs protective level; their percentage increased to 98.8% while the percentage of non-responders decreased to 1.2. Comparison between the antibody persistence 2 years after basic vaccination and after booster dose indicated its improvement in persons with seroconversion, however, the percentage of workers with anti-HBs antibodies below the protective level remained at the same level (3.3%).

Key words

anti-HBs vaccination, level of antibody response, medical staff