Hepatitis B Virus Infection among Health Colleges’ Students in Aseer Region, Southwestern Saudi Arabia
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- Category: Vol. 82, March 2014
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Hepatitis B Virus Infection among Health Colleges’ Students in Aseer Region, Southwestern Saudi Arabia, ALI BINALI, TARIK A. AL-AZRAQI, SULIMAN H. AL-FIFI, SULIMAN M. AL-HUMAYED, AWAD A. EL MEKKI and AHMED A. MAHFOUZ
Abstract
Purpose: To determine the state of immunity to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the rate of HBV infection among students of health colleges and their knowledge, attitude and practice towards blood borne infections.
Design: A representative sample of 501 health colleges’ students studying in King Khalid University southwestern Saudi Arabia was interviewed. Blood samples from these students were tested for anti-HBc IgG, anti-HBs, HBsAg, HBeAg/anti-HBe and anti-HBc-IgM.
Results: Only a minority of students were aware of all safe injection practices (28.0%, 145) and all standard isolation precautions (20.6%, 103). Few (14.2%) received hepatitis B vaccination in the previous 5 years. Seven students (1.4%) were infected with HBV: One was at an early stage of his disease; the second was an asymptomatic chronic carrier and the remaining five recovered from their natural infection (an overall seroprevalence of 1.4%). Almost three quarters (74.9%) of the students did not have any protective antibody against HBV.
Conclusions: Health colleges’ students should be consid-ered as new recruits to health services in terms of their initial screening for blood borne infections and vaccination against HBV. It is mandatory to develop a structured program to raise their awareness. Current curricula should be revised to early address standard precautions and safe injections practices.