Control of occupational hepatitis B among healthcare workers in the Czech Republic, 1982 to 1995.
Occupational hepatitis B remains a threat to healthcare workers (HCWs) worldwide, even with availability of an effective vaccine. Despite limited resources for public health, the Czech Republic instituted a mandatory vaccination program for HCWs in 1983. Annual incidence rates of acute hepatitis B were followed prospectively through 1995. Despite giving vaccine intradermally from 1983 to 1989 and intramuscularly as half dose from 1990 to 1995, rates of occupational hepatitis B decreased dramatically, from 177 cases per 100,000 workers in 1982 (before program initiated) to 17 cases per 100,000 in 1995. Among high-risk workers, the effect was even more dramatic (from 587 to 23 per 100,000). We conclude that strong public-health leadership led to control of occupational hepatitis B among HCWs in the Czech Republic, despite limited resources that precluded administering full-dose intramuscular vaccine for much of the program. Application of a similar program should be considered for other countries in regions that currently do not have a hepatitis B vaccination program.
Helcl
J
J
National Institute of Public Health, Prague, Czech Republic.
Cástková
J
J
Benes
C
C
Novotna
L
L
Sepkowitz
K A
KA
DeHovitz
J A
JA
D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D015438:Health Behavior; D006282:Health Personnel; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines