We utilize the attached guidance to decide what to do for situations like these, and have found it very helpful. It does address the situations you referred to below. Having said that, in many instances employees who know they had the
3 vaccines in the past (but have no proof) and have a positive titer, sometimes decline the second series. We would check their titer again if they are exposed to an unknown source or positive Hep B source, to ensure they are protected at the time, and treat
accordingly using “table 1”.
Thank you,
Sara Seeburger RN, BSN
Director Occupational Health
Centura Health
9100 E. Mineral Circle
Centennial, CO 80112
303-765-6498 Phone
720-874-5955 Fax
.
From: MCOH-EH [mailto:mcoh-eh-bounces+saraseeburger=centura.org@mylist.net]
On Behalf Of Stuart Sandler via MCOH-EH
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2018 6:33 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?
Message-ID:
<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.