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Hepatitis B

Ive read that symptoms only occur in 70% of people that have been infected with hep B and that many people are infected long term but do not know they are. Ive just had the vaccine today (for pre employment) and they are taking a blood test in a month to see if I have any immunity to it, the thing is how will I know if im a carrier of it or have already been infected? Im just worried I already have been infected as both my parents are nurses so I have been at a good risk all my life. If they took a blood test to see if I had it they would just assume the hepatitis in my blood was from the vaccine right?

Can someone clear things up lol.

Reply 1

Anonymous #1

I have a bit of experience of this, my dad had hep B.

Most people who are carriers don't exhibit symptoms, however some people get chronic hepatitis which usually leads to death, through liver failure or some related illness.

The blood test is to check the vaccine has worked, they will be looking for antibodies to hep B to prove the vaccine has worked, rather than the actual virus.

I don't think you're at a good risk of being infected through your parents, although hep B is 100 times more infectious than HIV, i'm sure they must have periodic tests to check they're clean as they're nurses and in contact with the sick?

Reply 2

munkie

14

OK sorry I don't have the information to hand - I'm partway through my course of Hep B vaccines, and read something like this recently.

There are 2 antigens they test for, and depending on the levels of each from your blood test they can determine

1) No immunity to Hep B
2) Immunity to Hep B by vaccination
3) Carrier of Hep B
4) Inconclusive / combination of the above

Reply 3

RetiredAccount89

18

Anonymous

I have a bit of experience of this, my dad had hep B.

Most people who are carriers don't exhibit symptoms, however some people get chronic hepatitis which usually leads to death, through liver failure or some related illness.

The blood test is to check the vaccine has worked, they will be looking for antibodies to hep B to prove the vaccine has worked, rather than the actual virus.

I don't think you're at a good risk of being infected through your parents, although hep B is 100 times more infectious than HIV, i'm sure they must have periodic tests to check they're clean as they're nurses and in contact with the sick?

HepB is 100x more infectious than HIV in needle stick injuries. They don't routinely test nurses etc, but they do test anyone who has a needle stick injury, being as that is how they will catch it.

thus if you are a nurse and catch it through sleeping about a bit, then it might not be picked up.

Reply 4

~Kirsty~

1

Taking into account all nurses should have had the vaccines anyway, the risk of infection is low i would have thought.

Reply 5

RetiredAccount89

18

~Kirsty~

Taking into account all nurses should have had the vaccines anyway, the risk of infection is low i would have thought.

Should, but not all do.

Similary you have some doctors working who have never had chickenpox.
pretty ballsy really.

Reply 6

~Kirsty~

1

Thats straneg since they're making all student dietitians get the vaccines, and pay for it ourselves (ie privately) - unless you manage to talk your GP into giving you the course on prescription...

Reply 7

RetiredAccount89

18

~Kirsty~

Thats straneg since they're making all student dietitians get the vaccines, and pay for it ourselves (ie privately) - unless you manage to talk your GP into giving you the course on prescription...

So think logically...if they are making all the students get it, then who might not have had it...
Some Older nurses and foreign nurses perhaps?
That make up an obscene percentage of the total nursing staff...

Reply 8

Leisure17

8

As has been said above: you can tell by the antigenes whether you are in the middle of a Hep B infection, have had a Hep B infection or have been vaccinated.
That is how they can tell whether the blood donator has Hep B (or A, C and others) or was just vaccinated. People who were vaccinated can donate blood, others are banned from donnating blood.
There is a rather small theoretical chance that you might have been infected by your parents (if you share a razor for instance), but I guess nurses are tested regularly for HIV and Hepatitis.

Hepatitis B

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