Ask the expert: Why the mulligan for the hepatitis B vaccination?
Q: What is the reason for having to re-administer the hepatitis B vaccination when a worker fails to respond to the first three-shot series?
A: According to the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS), 50-75% of nonresponders will respond to a three-dose revaccination series. Given that rate of success, the USPHS guidelines call for a second series after an inadequate response to the first vaccination series.
The OSHA bloodborne pathogens standard, 1910.1030(f)(1)(ii)(D), requires employers to follow the USPHS guidelines for hepatitis B vaccination and post-exposure evaluation and follow-up.
 |
Get into compliance with HCPro’s Basic OSHA Compliance Manual Kits for medical or dental practices. Receive bimonthly electronic manual updates through your newsletter subscription that keep your regulatory manual up to date and in compliance! |
« ANA calls for immunity award nominations | Home | IC among top-cited Joint Commission standards for 2010 »
-
Categories
- Ask the Expert—Bloodborne Pathogens
- Ask the expert—General OSHA
- Ask the Expert—Hazard Communication
- Bloodborne Pathogens
- Emergency Action Plans
- Featured
- First Aid
- General Safety and Health
- Hazardous Waste
- Infection Control
- Lab Safety
- Needlesticks & Sharps Injuries
- Notes from the field
- OSHA – Citations & Fines
- OSHA – General
- Pandemic Influenza
- Popular
- Sterile Matters
- Uncategorized
- Waste Management
- Weekly Poll Questions
- Whistleblower
- Workplace violence prevention
-
Archives
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
-
Feeds
David LaHoda
David LaHoda is the managing editor of the OSHA Healthcare Advisor, the weekly ezine OSHA Healthcare Connection, Medical Environment Update, HCPro's Basic OSHA Compliance Manual Kits for medical or dental practices, and the OSHA online training materials for ambulatory healthcare facilities.
David has written 792 posts.
Comments
If the HCW did not have a HBSAB drawn after the vaccine was completed, how long afterward could we assume that the HCW is a responder/ nonresponder? Many titers wane after years and are no longer detectable. How do we know the HCW continues to be protected?
If the healthcare worker did not have a titer, you must assume non-responder status according to the CDC/USPHS guidelines (See Table 3).
With regard to serologic testing, and boosters, the same source says:
“Booster doses of hepatitis B vaccine are not necessary, and periodic serologic testing to monitor antibody concentrations after completion of the vaccine series is not recommended. Any blood or body fluid exposure sustained by an unvaccinated, susceptible person should lead to the initiation of the hepatitis B vaccine series.”
Note the use of the word “periodic,” which means other than the titer drawn one to tow months after vaccination, in the citation above.
A November 9, 2005 letter of interpretation confirms this recommendation for OSHA compliance purposes.
“Hepatitis B and the healthcare worker,” from the IAC does a good job of explaining how you can still have immunity despite a low titer years after your vaccination.
I was one of those who was a non-responder after my 1st series but became reactive and immune after completion of the 2nd. Five years later, I come up non-reactive however CDC states I do not require any more “boosters” or another series as the antibodies would surface upon an exposure.
Leave a Comment