immunization status against hepatitis b among iranian junior medical, nursing, and obstetrics students with different vaccination patterns

conclusions this study shows lower anti-hbs among students who were vaccinated at infancy compared to those vaccinated at older childhood or adolescence. also, subsequent measurement of anti-hbs level at the time of entrance to university is recommended for all previously immunized students. results vaccination coverage rates were 74.1%. about half the participants didn’t show serological evidence of protective immunity; 68.9% had their last shot more than 10 years ago and 30.4% had a vaccination history of five years or less (p < 0.001). geometric mean level of anti-hbs titer among students, who had received a primary series vaccine at birth, was significantly lower than students who had started vaccination at an older age (p < 0.001). also, analysis of variance for geometric mean of anti-hbs titer showed significant differences between groups based on injection time from the last shot (p < 0.001) (post hoc comparisons resulted in a p value of < 0.001 for birth versus < 5 year group, and p < 0.001 for the 5 to 10 year group). the lowest rate of non-protective level belonged to participants with complete three doses and a booster additional shot (27.1%). the final model for independent predictors of anti-hbs positive status was made by a binary logistic regression analysis. the model included presence of a booster dose, injection time from last shot, and discipline of study. patients and methods in an analytical cross-sectional study, 255 junior medical sciences students were tested for quantitative antibodies to hepatitis b surface antigen (anti-hbs). the proportion of protective immunity was compared in different vaccination patterns. objectives this study aimed to determine the status of immunity to hepatitis b in junior medical, nursing and obstetrics students with different hepatitis b virus (hbv) vaccination patterns. background since the protection time by hepatitis b (hb) vaccination is unclear, the strategy of immunization of junior students who previously received hepatitis vaccine is controversial.