title: Timing of hepatitis B vaccination: its effect on vaccine response in health care workers.
abstract: We assessed the effect of timing and other biological variables on immune response among health care workers (HCW) vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine. A total of 2.058 HCW received three doses and were tested for anti-HBs within 6 months. 92.2% of the HCW had evidence of seroprotection. Multivariable analysis showed that controlling for age, the estimated non-response OR associated with a delayed second dose was 2.16 (95% CI: 1.46, 3.18, p=0.004). We found a decreasing response rate with increasing age. Particular attention should be given to those HCW who are late for the second vaccine dose and to older subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, Crta. Feixa Llarga s/n, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat 08907, Spain. xellsabido@gmail.com
authors.forename: Meritxell
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sabidó
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gavaldà
authors.forename: Noemí
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Olona
authors.forename: Josep Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ramon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines