title: Low seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antibody among nursing students in Taiwan: an implication for boosting.
abstract: The national hepatitis B vaccination program in Taiwan began in July 1984. The purpose of this repeated survey was to investigate the levels of anti-HBs (hepatitis B surface antibody) in the first-year students of a 5-year nursing program in Taiwan. Each year during 2000-2006, the entering students of the 5-year nursing program at Fooyin University, a vocational university located in southern Taiwan, were examined for their HBsAg and anti-HBs status using commercially available microparticle enzyme immunoassay. The seroprevalence of HBsAg (+) showed a significant trend of decrease, dropping 57% from 4.9% in 2000 to 2.1% in 2006. The seroprevalence of anti-HBs (+) also showed a significant trend of decrease, dropping 49% from 77.1% in 2000 to only 39.7% in 2006. With the relatively low seroprevalence of anti-HBs (+) of the future healthcare workers and high HBV endemicity in Taiwan, recommendation of serology test before boosting to nursing students before they proceed their clinical practice is prudent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Fooyin University Hospital, Pingtong, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-Chiang
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chen-Kang
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Yeou-Lih
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hung-Fu
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Tseng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006285:Health Planning; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D009729:Nursing; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013334:Students; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines