S Zayet1, M Osman2, H Besghaier3, M Ben Moussa4, A Belhadj3, R Bellaaj2. 1. Service des maladies infectieuses, hôpital La Rabta, Tunis, Tunisie. Electronic address: souhail.zayet@gmail.com. 2. Service d'hygiène hospitalière et de protection de l'environnement, hôpital militaire principal et d'instruction de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisie. 3. Service de médecine du travail et de sécurité professionnelle, hôpital militaire principal et d'instruction de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisie. 4. Laboratoire de microbiologie, hôpital militaire principal et d'instruction de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisie.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B is the main cause of liver disease in the world. Chronic hepatitis B may lead to cirrhosis, liver insufficiency or liver cancer. Tunisia is considered as a country with intermediate endemicity, where hepatitis B presents a real public health problem. The aims of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of viral biomarkers of hepatitis B in healthcare personnel; to look for potential risk factors associated with HbS antigen carriage and to evaluate the prevalence of vaccination in this particular population. METHODS: Sero-epidemiological, prospective and descriptive study, among 2411 healthcare personnel in the Military Hospital of Tunis, during a 5-month period from September 2013 to January 2014. RESULTS: Blood samples were collected from 1497 volunteers among the hospital staff. Two hundred and seventy-one individuals had a positive HbC antibody titer (prevalence 18.1%), including 229 who were positive for HbC and HbS antibodies (prevalence 15.3%), 12 positive for only HbC antibody (prevalence 0.8%), and 30 positive for HBsAg (prevalence 2%). Among HbS Ag carriers, 56.6% reported needle stick and sharp object injuries during their professional careers. Among HbS Ag carriers, there were three patients with a history of acute viral hepatitis with jaundice, and 27 patients (90%) who were asymptomatic and were diagnosed during our study. Among healthcare workers in the hospital, 56.1% were immunized through vaccination (positive HbS antibodies without HbC antibodies), of whom 66% had durable protective immunity (HbS antibodies>100mU/mL). Lastly, 25.8% of the hospital workers remained without any protection against hepatitis B (serology entirely negative) and were then offered a complete vaccination. CONCLUSION: Hepatitis B vaccine is the mainstay of hepatitis B prevention. Safe injection practices, blood safety and promoting wider access to monitoring and screening, care and treatment services for hepatitis B are the best guarantees to prevent and control this disease.
BACKGROUND:Hepatitis B is the main cause of liver disease in the world. Chronic hepatitis B may lead to cirrhosis, liver insufficiency or liver cancer. Tunisia is considered as a country with intermediate endemicity, where hepatitis B presents a real public health problem. The aims of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of viral biomarkers of hepatitis B in healthcare personnel; to look for potential risk factors associated with HbS antigen carriage and to evaluate the prevalence of vaccination in this particular population. METHODS: Sero-epidemiological, prospective and descriptive study, among 2411 healthcare personnel in the Military Hospital of Tunis, during a 5-month period from September 2013 to January 2014. RESULTS: Blood samples were collected from 1497 volunteers among the hospital staff. Two hundred and seventy-one individuals had a positive HbC antibody titer (prevalence 18.1%), including 229 who were positive for HbC and HbS antibodies (prevalence 15.3%), 12 positive for only HbC antibody (prevalence 0.8%), and 30 positive for HBsAg (prevalence 2%). Among HbS Ag carriers, 56.6% reported needle stick and sharp object injuries during their professional careers. Among HbS Ag carriers, there were three patients with a history of acute viral hepatitis with jaundice, and 27 patients (90%) who were asymptomatic and were diagnosed during our study. Among healthcare workers in the hospital, 56.1% were immunized through vaccination (positive HbS antibodies without HbC antibodies), of whom 66% had durable protective immunity (HbS antibodies>100mU/mL). Lastly, 25.8% of the hospital workers remained without any protection against hepatitis B (serology entirely negative) and were then offered a complete vaccination. CONCLUSION:Hepatitis B vaccine is the mainstay of hepatitis B prevention. Safe injection practices, blood safety and promoting wider access to monitoring and screening, care and treatment services for hepatitis B are the best guarantees to prevent and control this disease.