Hepatitis B titer question...

[kbtravel]

I received by Hepatitis B vaccine series back in 1990 ( this is dating me, right? ) and four months later I had a titer drawn which came back positive Hep B antigen. Now, fast forward to last year... the travel nurse co I am with asked me to have my titers drawn and then called me and stated I needed to have Hep B series done again. I ended up signing a Hep B declination form ....I don't feel a person needs to have a lot of vaccines in their system. I also looked online and for the most part, found that Hep B vac is supposed to last a lifetime or at least 23 years...the antigen may be at very low levels by that time. Whenever I apply with a new company or per diem etc now this comes up but I just keep signing Hep B declination. Does anyone else have problems with their titers or have you gotten another series of Hep B vaccine? Any suggestions or should I keep doing what I have been doing? Thanks

[cougarnurse]

I have heard of people having to have a 2nd course of the vaccine, as it didn't 'take'.

Somehow, I agree with not having some of the vaccines. I have also declined Hep. B. Oh, the MMR---no problem. Polio---that, too. But Chicken Pox? Don't get me started on THAT one!

[Kdog]

I was just retested (travel co. request) and my titres were good.
But, if they were not, I would decline the vaccines too.
Don't worry about it.

[kbtravel]

Hi, thank you for your reponses...I am going to continue to decline it for now. From what I read in a couple articles, it is supposed to last 23 years and all my titers intially ( in the 1990's) were positive.

[SmilesNoir]

I think, I'm going to decline too! vaccines do not stay in me. I dont want to keep getting shots..

[cali510]

I had my series done between 92 and 93. Recently I had a titer done and neither the lab nor my doctor could explain the results to me. I have decided that I will refuse in the future and I intend to continue to put my previous vaccination dates down.

[chicagotoots]

I had the entire series of Hep b shots in the early 1990s. At least three times since, I have been tested for titres and received boosters. Eventually the titers end up negative. On my last job, the doctor said some people (including himself) just lose their immunity after awhile and there was no need to keep gettomg hep b boosters and there was probably some immunity in my system and to sign the declination. My daughter, also an RN, loses her immunity as well. Perhaps it's in the genes?

[nikwoo]

you must receice the vaccine again because as you age as with anything else things diminish...it is imperitive as a nurse to maintain immunity as you work around these people everyday...hep b is not like other viruses it can live for seven days on a surface... as for refusing other vaccines I personally believe it is foolish and selfish as well, I know it is your body and you may do what you like but some people cannot...such as cancer patients and children. I would never let my children suffer illnesses that can be prevented. Nor would I like to know that even if my child has one of these illnesses and is just fine afterword that they infected someone else who could not fight off the infection.