title: Prevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen in dental personnel.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B, a viral disease affecting the liver has high morbidity and mortality. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in serum is used to detect presence of active disease and chronic carrier status. The disease is transmitted predominantly through blood and saliva, hence dental professionals are considered a high risk group.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To detect presence of HBsAg in serum of dental professionals.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in two parts viz., one in the year 1991 on 100 dental professionals in Nagpur using reverse passive hemagglutination and the other in 2012 on 50 dental professionals in Chennai using immunochromatography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten percent of dental professionals screened in 1991 and 2% of dental professionals screened in 2012 showed HBsAg positive status and were predominantly periodontists with a history of needle-stick injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlights the importance of Hepatitis B vaccination and periodic evaluation of antibody titer to prevent spread of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Faculty of Dental Sciences, Sri Ramachandra University, Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Malathi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Narasimhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Government Dental College and Hospital, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Hazarey
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Faculty of Dental Sciences, Sri Ramachandra University, Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Saranya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Varadarajan
keywords: Dental professionals; hepatitis B; hepatitis B surface antigen; hepatitis B vaccination