RESUMO
Background: Hepatitis B is a major contributor to the burden of infectious diseases worldwide. Many preventive measures havebeen employed, however, active immunization with hepatitis B vaccine remains the single most important hepatitis B preventionmeasure. WHO recommends that all health care workers (HCWs) should be vaccinated against HBV. However, proportions ofindividuals do not respond to the recommended standard three dose of HBV vaccination and remain susceptible to theinfection.Objectives: This study was to assess the response rate to vaccination against HBV among health care workers and todetermine predictors of non-response to HBV vaccine in HCWs. Methods and Materials: A prospective study carried out at theSaint Dominic Hospital, Akwatia, involving 100 HCWs from 29th August, 2018 to 4th June, 2019. All the participants received thestandard protocol of 3 intramuscular injections of HBV vaccine (Engerix B) at 0, 1, and 6 months. Qualitative and quantitativeserum anti-HBs was determined 1-2 months after the last injection in order to detect the responders and non-responders.Results:Majority (54.0%) of the participants were males. The Median age of the study participants was 35 (29, 47) with age range of 20-65 years. Out of the 100 HCWs 90 (90%) were responders and 10 (10%) were non-responders to hepatitis B vaccine. Nonresponders had increased odds of being female, though this was not statistically significant (COR=1.47 (0.42 - 5.17).Conclusion:All HCWs should undergo confirmatory testing of immune response after completion of scheduled standard HBV immunization.This will ensure safety of all HCWs against HBV infection.
RESUMO
Background: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is one of the commonest medical emergencies worldwide associated withsignificant morbidity and mortality and high medical care cost. Worldwide morbidity and mortality associated with UGIB rangesfrom 6-13%. There are scanty data available about the causes of UGIB from peripheral hospitals in Ghana. Aim and Objectives:The study was to determine the common causes of upper GI bleeding in Saint Dominic Hospital, Akwatia a district hospital inGhana. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted at endoscopy unit of St. Dominic Hospital.Patients with symptoms of UGIB referred for Gastroscopy were selected and endoscopic findings recorded. Results: Out of the400 patients who underwent gastroscopy during the study period, 107 (26.8%) had upper GI bleeding. 65 (60.8%) of them weremales and the median age was 54 years. Approximately 50% of the patients (57, 53.3%) had only haematemesis. The commonestcause of bleeding was peptic ulcer disease, 40 (37.4%). Conclusion: Peptic ulcer disease was the common cause of UGIB at theSt. Dominic Hospital, Akwatia, Ghana"