Aa
sleepless because of needlestick injury
I am working in a hospital..last june 2008 i had a reactive anti-hbsag result..just this month i had a needlestick injury while in the hospital..am i in trouble? do i need to have another vaccination?
Another thing... you did not mention the HBV status of the person needle was used on prior to this incident. Do you have this info? What about his/her HVC and HIV status?
I quote from an article (I have lost the link to its source):
>>>
The full duration of protection afforded by hepatitis B vaccine has yet to be
established (Whittle et al., 2002). Levels of vaccine-induced antibody to
hepatitis B decline over time, but there is evidence that immune memory can
persist in those successfully immunised (Liao et al., 1999). However, recent
evidence suggests that not all individuals may respond in this way (Williams et
al., 2003; Boxall et al., 2004). It is, therefore, recommended that individuals at
continuing risk of infection should be offered a single booster dose of vaccine,
once only, around five years after primary immunisation. Measurement of
anti-HBs levels is not required either before or after this dose. Boosters are also
recommended after exposure to the virus (as above).
<<<
The product literature I have come across is not too specific about your case.
What I would do: get the anti-hbsag test done again. If negative, I would go for hepatitis B immune globulin and more vaccinations. Personally, I like getting tests done even for even seemingly unimportant things. However, this one does not seem unimportant to me.
In any case, given that you work at a hospital, it must be easy for you to ask a real doc, right?
BTW, when did you get your last dose of the vaccine?
>>>
The full duration of protection afforded by hepatitis B vaccine has yet to be
established (Whittle et al., 2002). Levels of vaccine-induced antibody to
hepatitis B decline over time, but there is evidence that immune memory can
persist in those successfully immunised (Liao et al., 1999). However, recent
evidence suggests that not all individuals may respond in this way (Williams et
al., 2003; Boxall et al., 2004). It is, therefore, recommended that individuals at
continuing risk of infection should be offered a single booster dose of vaccine,
once only, around five years after primary immunisation. Measurement of
anti-HBs levels is not required either before or after this dose. Boosters are also
recommended after exposure to the virus (as above).
<<<
The product literature I have come across is not too specific about your case.
What I would do: get the anti-hbsag test done again. If negative, I would go for hepatitis B immune globulin and more vaccinations. Personally, I like getting tests done even for even seemingly unimportant things. However, this one does not seem unimportant to me.
In any case, given that you work at a hospital, it must be easy for you to ask a real doc, right?
BTW, when did you get your last dose of the vaccine?
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