Hepatitis B virus infection and prevention in the dental clinic: knowledge and factors determining vaccine uptake in a Nigerian dental teaching hospital.

BACKGROUND

hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a well recognised occupational risk for dental health care workers in an endemic area like Nigeria. It is however effectively vaccine preventable. There had been a suboptimal uptake of this vaccination.

OBJECTIVES

This study assesed the knowledge of respondents on pre-exposure prevention and post exposure management of HBV infection. It also investigated level of compliance with the vaccination and factors associated with non-compliance.

METHODS

The study was conducted by self-administered questionnaires distributed to clinical students and all cadres of staff working at the dental clinic of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.

RESULTS

159 persons participated. Knowledge of the infection was inadequate. There was an overall vaccination rate of 40.3%. However, dentists were significantly more likely to be vaccinated than either the other cadres of staff or the students (p = 0.014). Students had the poorest compliance. 54% of respondents gave reasons suggestive of complacency for non-uptake.

CONCLUSIONS

Students and staff of the Dental School of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital are not adequately protected against HBV. We recommend mandatory immunisation of both students and-staffs before exposure to clinical practice