Hepatitis B: prevention, protection, and occupational risk.

Since 1992, the inclusion of hepatitis B (HBV) vaccination has been recommended by the World Health Organization for all immunisation programmes implemented by nations. In Europe, the introduction of HBV vaccination has markedly reduced the incidence of acute HBV, and before the introduction of HBV vaccine, health care workers (HCW) were at considerable risk of infection. The present review discusses the main problems regarding three fundamental issues in hospital settings: 1) prevention of HBV in HCW, 2) protection induced by vaccination (problems regarding non-responders), and 3) risk for HCW exposed to blood-borne pathogens (occupational risk). The screening of HBV markers plays a decisive role in evaluating the degree of immune coverage in subjects exposed to biological risk and permits an increase immune coverage through of vaccine implementation.