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Hepatitis B serology testing and vaccination for Gambian healthcare workers: A pilot study.
- Source :
- Journal of Public Health in Africa; 2024, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p1-6, 6p
- Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- Background: Hepatitis B infection is a significant global health threat contributing to healthcare worker (HCW) harm, threatening already precarious health systems. Aim: To document self-reported hepatitis B vaccination history and serology results. Setting: A select group of high-risk HCWs in a tertiary care hospital in Banjul, the Gambia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional pilot study conducted from 12 June 2023 to 16 June 2023. Participants were HCWs at high risk for blood exposure who completed a health history interview prior to serology testing for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) and vaccination. Results: The pilot study enrolled 70 HCWs who were primarily female (n = 44; 62.9%). The majority of the participants, 43 (61.4%) reported having received at least one dose of the hepatitis B vaccine in the past. The overall prevalence of HBsAg positivity in this study was 4.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5–11.9), all in older participants. Importantly, 60.0% (95% CI: 48.3–70.7) of participants had no anti-HBs detected. Conclusion: This pilot study documents a higher prevalence of hepatitis B infection among older workers and the lack of anti-HBs across the majority of participants. This suggests a serious vulnerability for the individual health worker and indicates the need for a wider screening and vaccination campaign to assess the risk across the Gambian health workforce. Contribution: This pilot study provides the first evidence to support a wider assessment of hepatitis B serology status of Gambian health workers to gauge the need for a broader vaccine campaign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20389922
- Volume :
- 15
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Public Health in Africa
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 178821825
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.4102/jphia.v15i1.489