title: Immune response and immunologic memory in medical personnel vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine.
abstract: The occupation-related nature of Hepatitis B viral infection in medical personnel has been well documented in a lot of studies. The only reliable way of prevention of this infection is immunisation with hepatitis B vaccine.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To follow-up the primary immune response after immunisation with recombinant vaccine and its duration in adult immunocompetent subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred sixty-five health-care workers working at St. George University Hospital, Plovdiv in 2009/2010 were included in the study and allocated to two groups. Group 1 (N1 = 70) was followed up for the primary immune response after immunization; group 2 (N2 = 95) was with documented immunization in 1998/1999 (n = 81) and in 1994/1995 (n = 14). Tests based on ELISA for quantitative determination of anti-HBs in mIU/ml were used. The measurement were performed at the National Reference Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis at the NCIPD, Sofia. Descriptive statistics, non-parametric and parametric tests, qualitative correlation were used to analyse data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group 1 mean age was 40.3 +/- 2.6 years; anti-HBs concentration of > or = 10 mIU/ ml was found in 92.8%. No association between the immune response and the commonly involved factors such as gender, age, overweight, smoking, etc., was found. In group 2, anti-HBs concentration of > or = 10 mIU/ml was found in 77.9%: it was in 75.3% in those immunized 10 years before, and in 92.9% in those immunized 15 years before (t = 0.24, p > 0.05). A booster dose of the vaccine was received by 15/21 subjects from group 2 (those immunized 10 years before that) with anti-HBs < 10 mIU/ml. After the booster, 9/15 produced anti-HBs in protective concentrations (anamnestic immune response). The actual level of seroprotection among the immunized more than 10 years ago was 92%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study and the documentation of the primary postvaccinal immunity in high-risk medical personnel will help specify if additional hepatitis B vaccine shots are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Ecology and Epidemiology, Medical University, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. kevorkian@mail.bg
authors.forename: Ani K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Kevorkyan
authors.forename: Pavel B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Teoharov
authors.forename: Nedyalka S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Petrova
authors.forename: Ivan G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Baltadzhiev
authors.forename: Yordanka D
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Stoilova
authors.forename: Nevena G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Angelova
authors.forename: Angelina D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Plachkova
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines