title: European survey of hepatitis B vaccination policies for healthcare workers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The risk of transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) to healthcare workers (HCWs) is well known. Under current European Union (EU) legislation, all employers should perform a risk assessment to identify those exposed to HBV and offer vaccination. Immunization should happen early after the start of their career to avoid infection and development of carrier status.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey of country representatives, to find out how policies are put into practice in European countries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Answers were received from 17 countries, representing 89% of the population and 90% of HCWs in the EU-25. HBV vaccination was mandatory for medical, and nursing and other paramedical staff in five countries, and recommended in all other countries. It was mandatory for medical students and student nurses in five countries and recommended in nine other. Pre-vaccination serotesting was done in six countries. The vaccination schedule most often used was 0, 1, 6 months. Combined vaccine (hepatitis A virus /HBV) was used in 10 countries. Post-vaccination serotesting was done in 14 countries. Data on HBV vaccination coverage were available in 11 countries and published in five of them. Coverage was 85-93%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results show the variation as to how EU legislation is translated into practice in European countries. More consultation between key actors at EU level could help to optimize the way this matter is dealt with. A battery of measures and interventions-including introduction of immunization programmes against HBV infection and increasing immunization coverage in HCWs-can contribute to further reducing HBV transmission to HCWs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium. antoon.deschryver@ua.ac.be
authors.forename: Antoon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Schryver
authors.forename: Bieke
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Claesen
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meheus
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Sprundel
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: François
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005060:Europe; D005062:European Union; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006282:Health Personnel; D006291:Health Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus; D006801:Humans; D012698:Serologic Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014611:Vaccination / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines