title: Evaluation of hepatitis B surface antibody and specific gamma interferon response in health care workers after vaccination.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health care workers are at high risk of acquiring hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection through occupational exposure to blood or body fluids. Thus, the assessment of anti-HBs status after immunization is very important.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate the measurement of HBsAb titer and specific gamma interferon response among the vaccinated health care workers in Golestan Hospital, Ahvaz, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  The blood samples of 39 health care workers, including 13 general surgeons, 10 anesthesiologists, 5 neurosurgeons, 3 general physicians, 1 orthopedist, 2 urologist and 5 nurses were collected during June 2013. All the participants had received HBV vaccine. They had received last vaccine dose from 2 months to 14 years ago. Their sera were tested for anti-hepatitis B antibody and HBc-IgG by the ELISA. Also, the evaluation of specific interferon γ response against HBsAg was carried out using ELISA test. The age of health care workers were between 24 and 58 years with the mean age of 34.3 ± 7.4 y.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 39 sera, 22 (56.41%) had HBsAb titer above 100 IU/mL, 17 (43.6%) had titer below 100 IU/mL, 27 (69.2%) had positive specific HBsAg interferon γ, 8 (20.5%) cases had positive antibody response above 100IU, but negative for specific interferon γ and 3 (7.6%) cases were positive for HBc-IgG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, 87.2% of the health care workers had immunity against HBV infection, which showed remarkable immunity response following HBV vaccination. Booster dose of HBV vaccine is recommended for those whose immunity are below 100 IU/mL.
authors: Research Institute for Infectious Diseases of Digestive System, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran ; Department of General Surgery, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors: Mohammad Hosein
authors: MH
authors: Sarmast Shooshtari
authors: Research Institute for Infectious Diseases of Digestive System, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran ; Virology Department, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran ; Health Research Institute, Infectious and Tropical Disease Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors: Manoochehr
authors: M
authors: Makvandi
authors: Virology Department, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors: Mojtaba
authors: M
authors: Rasti
authors: Research Institute for Infectious Diseases of Digestive System, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran ; Virology Department, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors: Niloofar
authors: N
authors: Neisi
authors: Virology Department, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors: Nasrin
authors: N
authors: Rastegarvand
authors: Virology Department, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors: Amir
authors: A
authors: Pouremamali
authors: Virology Department, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors: Mehrdad
authors: M
authors: Sadeghi Haj
authors: Deputy of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors: Fardin
authors: F
authors: Ghaedi
keywords: Hepatitis B Virus; Interferon Gamma; Workers