Protecting health workers from nosocomial Hepatitis B infections: A review of strategies and challenges for implementation of Hepatitis B vaccination among health workers in Sub-Saharan Africa

Bridget Malewezi; Saad B. Omer; Beatrice Mwagomba; Trish Araru

doi:10.1016/j.jegh.2016.04.003

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Volume 6, Issue 4, December 2016, Pages 229 - 241

Protecting health workers from nosocomial Hepatitis B infections: A review of strategies and challenges for implementation of Hepatitis B vaccination among health workers in Sub-Saharan Africa

Authors

Bridget Malewezi^a^{, *}^,bridget.malewezi@emory.edu, Saad B. Omer^a^{, b}^{, c}, Beatrice Mwagomba^d, Trish Araru^d

^aHubert Department of Global Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA

^bDepartment of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA

^cEmory Vaccine Center, Atlanta, GA, USA

^dMinistry of Health, Capital City, Lilongwe 3, Malawi

^*Corresponding author at: 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.

Corresponding Author

Bridget Malewezibridget.malewezi@emory.edu

Received 31 August 2015, Revised 1 April 2016, Accepted 13 April 2016, Available Online 4 May 2016.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jegh.2016.04.003 How to use a DOI?
Keywords: Africa; Health worker; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B vaccine
Abstract: The Sub-Saharan region has the highest Hepatitis B virus (HBV) rates, and health workers are at an increased risk of contracting nosocomial HBV infection. Vaccination of health workers plays a critical role in protecting them from sequelae of HBV; however, health-worker vaccination remains a challenge for many countries. This study was conducted to review practices/measures and challenges in the Sub-Saharan region relating to vaccination of health workers against HBV. We performed a literature review of articles addressing any aspect of HBV vaccination of health workers in the Sub-Saharan region sourced from PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, including a case study of Malawi policies and strategies in training institutions and facilities. Our findings indicated that HBV awareness and vaccination were relatively high, but vaccination rates were lower, with 4.6–64.4% of those “ever vaccinated” completing the vaccination regimen. There was also great variation in the proportion of health workers exhibiting natural immunity from previous exposure (positive for anti-Hepatitis B core antibodies; 41–92%). Commonly cited reasons for non-uptake of vaccine included cost, lack of awareness of vaccine availability, and inadequate information concerning the vaccine. Countries in this region will require locally relevant data to develop cost-effective strategies that maximize the benefit to their health workers due to the great diversity of HBV epidemiology in the region.
Open Access: This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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Journal: Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
Volume-Issue: 6 - 4
Pages: 229 - 241
Publication Date: 2016/05/04
ISSN (Online): 2210-6014
ISSN (Print): 2210-6006
DOI: 10.1016/j.jegh.2016.04.003 How to use a DOI?
Open Access: This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Cite this article

ris enw bib

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Bridget Malewezi
AU  - Saad B. Omer
AU  - Beatrice Mwagomba
AU  - Trish Araru
PY  - 2016
DA  - 2016/05/04
TI  - Protecting health workers from nosocomial Hepatitis B infections: A review of strategies and challenges for implementation of Hepatitis B vaccination among health workers in Sub-Saharan Africa
JO  - Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
SP  - 229
EP  - 241
VL  - 6
IS  - 4
SN  - 2210-6014
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jegh.2016.04.003
DO  - 10.1016/j.jegh.2016.04.003
ID  - Malewezi2016
ER  -

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