See attached CDC FAQ on Hep B and the Healthcare Worker.
Erika Sweet, RN, MSN, NP, COHN-S
Director of Employee Health Services
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Office (310) 222.2364
From: MCOH-EH [mailto:mcoh-eh-bounces+esweet=dhs.lacounty.gov@mylist.net]
On Behalf Of Stuart Sandler via MCOH-EH
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2018 5:33 AM
To: mcoh-eh@mylist.net
Cc: fldocstu@aol.com
Subject: Re: [MCOH-EH] Incompletely Vaccinated HepB & Immunity Titers
List,
I may be missing something, so ask for enlightenment. If someone comes in knowing that they had the 3 series of HepB vaccine and you receive a positive HepBSAb titer on your pre-hire
testing, why would you give a repeat series if the person cannot produce written documentation of the vaccines? I received my vaccines many years ago and the institution is no longer available to ask for records, nor did we think of that at the time. Would
not the positive titer itself suffice for proof of immunity? I have not been asked in the past by any employer or hospital for proof of vaccine, just proof of immunity.
And what do you do with a person who doesn't remember if they had ever been vaccinated (happens more times than I can count), yet has a sufficient HepBSAb titer? It doesn't mean
that they never received the series. Then, too, what do you do if the person received two vaccines only, but has a significantly positive titer? Why would you give them the third, especially if it had been a while since the first two? For example, I became
significantly symptomatic after my second vaccine (OK, it WAS
in the stone ages at the early start of vaccinations and they weren't as refined as they are curently), so a titer was done prior to getting the third. I had a high Ab titer, so it was decided that I had been properly immunized and that the risks
of having the third were outweighed by the possible of a worsened reaction. BTW, I had a documented 0 titer prior to the vaccine series.
Just curious.
Stuart A. Sandler, DO
-----Original Message-----
Today's Topics:
1. Re: #ExtMail# Incompletely Vaccinated HepB & Immunity Titers
AND ? requiring Hepatitis B vaccination for employees?
(Schweitzer, Kit)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2018 22:32:14 +0000
From: "Schweitzer, Kit" <KSchweitzer@peacehealth.org>
To: "MCOH/EH" <mcoh-eh@mylist.net>
Subject: Re: [MCOH-EH] #ExtMail# Incompletely Vaccinated HepB &
Immunity Titers AND ? requiring Hepatitis B vaccination for employees?
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<MWHPR10MB1488B9A500DFCC0A0C27A544B1440@MWHPR10MB1488.namprd10.prod.outlook.com>
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We require documentation of 3 Hep B vaccs AND positive titer to ensure life long immunity as recommended by CDC. We start the series over if they don't have documentation and only a titer. If documentation and no titer, we draw a titer.
Thank you.