Hepatitis B: knowledge, vaccine situation and seroconversion of dentistry students of a public university

Marina Sena Lopes da Silva Sacchetto; Simone Souza Lobão Veras Barros; Thaís de Alencar Araripe; Aryvelto Miranda Silva; Symonara Karina Medeiros Faustino; José Mário Nunes da Silva

doi:10.5812/hepatmon.13670

Hepatitis B: knowledge, vaccine situation and seroconversion of dentistry students of a public university

Hepat Mon. 2013 Oct 5;13(10):e13670. doi: 10.5812/hepatmon.13670. eCollection 2013.

Authors

Marina Sena Lopes da Silva Sacchetto¹, Simone Souza Lobão Veras Barros¹, Thaís de Alencar Araripe¹, Aryvelto Miranda Silva¹, Symonara Karina Medeiros Faustino², José Mário Nunes da Silva³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pathology and Clinical Dentistry (DPCO), Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Brazil.
² Department of Pharmacy, Differential Integral Faculty (FACID), Teresina, Brazil.
³ Department of Science and Health, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Brazil.

Abstract

Background: Viral hepatitis B (VHB) is an occupational risk for dentists. It is necessary that dental students start clinical practice immunized with the vaccine, response monitored and informed about the means of transmission of the disease. Rarely, there are studies, which evaluate concomitantly knowledge of these academics and their vaccine situation.

Objectives: To evaluate the knowledge about Hepatitis B, the vaccine situation and the immunization status of dental students and to investigate the probable correlation between the status of immunization, vaccination membership and adherence to the test of seroconversion and associated factors.

Patients and methods: 189 students from the dentistry course at the Federal University of Piaui (UFPI) who attended from the 3rd to 9th period were invited to participate in the research. Their knowledge about HBV, attitude regarding protection and their vaccine situation were assessed through a self-administered form. Antibodies against surface antigens of Hepatitis B virus (Anti-HBs) and against the antigens of the virus nucleous of Hepatitis B (Anti-HBc total) were measured qualitatively using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results: Of the 179 students surveyed, 58.1% knew about the degree of virulence of the Hepatitis B virus (HBV). As to the means of transmission, 98.3% considered blood transmission, 82.6% plates and cutlery, 15.6% cough and 12.3% vertical transmission. Most students (87.4%) knew that they should take 3 doses of the vaccine and 62.2% completed the immunization schedule. A minority of students (48.6%) knew the about the Anti-HBs test and 5.6% took the test. Among the students who reported having taken three doses of the vaccine, 12.5% were not seroconverted. There was no significant correlation between the variables.

Conclusions: Dental academics were unsure about the means of infection and prevention against HBV. Many of them had not completed the immunization scheme and did not have the test of seroconversion. The serological analysis revealed unprotection, even after students completed the vaccination schedule.

Keywords: Antibodies; Hepatitis B; Immunization Schedule; Occupational Accidents.