To Study of the Hepatitis B Virus Carrier Status in Health Care Workers at J.L.N. Medical College and Associated Group of Hospitals, Ajmer (Raj.)

Introduction: Hepatitis B infection is a serious infectious disease of the liver which affects millions of people worldwide. Health care workers are at great risk. So, it is of immense significance to find out Hep.B carrier status among them. Aims: To determine of the Hepatitis B Virus carrier status in health care workers at J.L.N. Medical College and associated group of hospitals, Ajmer (raj.). Material and methods: This descriptive cross sectional study was conducted among health care workers employed at J.L.N. Medical College and associated group of hospitals Ajmer (Raj.). A total of 256 willing participants were randomly selected for this study. Results and discussion: The mean age of the studied participants was found to be 33.20 ? 8.82 yrs. 58.20 per cent were male and 41.80% were female in the studied population. 51.17% of the studied participants had been completely taken Hep. B vaccination. Needle stick injury was present in 41.80% participants. All participants were found to be negative for both HBs Ag and HBe Ag. 6.64% participants (N = 17) were positive in testing for Anti-HBc. Among these 6.64%, 58.52% (N = 10) were also positive for Anti-HBs Ag and 9 participants (3.51% of the total 256 participants) have completely taken Hep. B vaccination. 54.69% (N = 140) were found to be immune (positive Anti-HBs). Conclusion- From this study it can be concluded that only 51.17% of the HCWs had complete Hep. B vaccination; and because protective antibody level cannot be achieved with incomplete or no vaccination, awareness for vaccination and testing for Hep. B antibody titers among the HCWs is much needed. Every health care setting should introduce policies which would make it mandatory to check the Hepatitis B vaccination status, facility for HBV vaccination and their titre for all the staff. Also, at institute level, there must be well established policy for needle stick injury cases, to keep a record of them, treat them and follow up their antibody titer status.