title: Prevalence of HBV and HBV vaccination coverage in health care workers of tertiary hospitals of Peshawar, Pakistan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) may progress to serious consequences and increase dramatically beyond endemic dimensions that transmits to or from health care workers (HCWs) during routine investigation in their work places. Basic aim of this study was to canvass the safety of HCWs and determine the prevalence of HBV and its possible association with occupational and non-occupational risk factors. Hepatitis B vaccination coverage level and main barriers to vaccination were also taken in account.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 824 health care workers were randomly selected from three major hospitals of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Blood samples were analyzed in Department of Zoology, Kohat University of Science and Technology Kohat, and relevant information was obtained by means of preset questionnaire. HCWs in the studied hospitals showed 2.18% prevalence of positive HBV. Nurses and technicians were more prone to occupational exposure and to HBV infection. There was significant difference between vaccinated and non-vaccinated HCWs as well as between the doctors and all other categories. Barriers to complete vaccination, in spite of good knowledge of subjects in this regard were work pressure (39.8%), negligence (38.8%) un-affordability (20.9%), and unavailability (0.5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Special preventive measures (universal precaution and vaccination), which are fundamental way to protect HCW against HBV infection should be adopted.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University Peshawar, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Sobia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Attaullah
authors.forename: Sanaullah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.lastname: Naseemullah
authors.forename: Sultan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ayaz
authors.forename: Shahid Niaz
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Ijaz
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Naseruddin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hoti
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Siraj
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines