Serum Level of Anti-Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Among Students in Guilan, Iran

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is considered as a serious public health concern. The health care workers and medical students are at a higher risk of HBV infection than the general population through occupational exposure. Vaccination against HBV is considered an effective means of infection prevention.. The aim of the present study was to determine anti-HBs titers among the medical students of Guilan University of Medical Sciences within the national HBV vaccination schedule..Patients and This cross-sectional study comprised 209 medical students born between the years 1989 - 92 within a national vaccination gap of HBV and received HBV vaccine before age 18 years. The levels of anti-HBsAg ≥ 10 mIU/mL detected by ELISA were considered as protective against HBV.. Of 209 students participated in this study, 11 (5.3%) showed no response to HBV vaccination. The protective titers of 10 - 1000 mIU/mL, and greater than 1000 mIU/mL of anti-HBs were found in 126 (60.2%) and 72 (34.5%) of students, respectively.. The periodic monitoring of anti-HBs titers in medical students is important because of their awareness about the risk factors associated with HBV infection..