Hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) titres should be checked one to two months after the completion of a primary course of vaccine (either the standard 0, 1, and 6 month, or the accelerated 0, 1, 2, and 12 month schedules can be used). When using the accelerated course, the fourth dose given at 12 months is the final dose of the primary course, not a booster. The advice to test anti-HBs titres one to two months after completion of the primary course therefore means after the fourth dose in a 0 ,1, 2 and 12 month schedule.
Immunocompetent healthcare and laboratory workers who have received a primary course of hepatitis B vaccine and are known responders do not require a booster.
Healthcare workers for whom hepatitis B vaccination is contra-indicated, who decline vaccination or who are non-responders to vaccine (such as those with anti-HBs levels of less than 10 mIU/ml) should be managed according to UK national guidance on bloodborne viruses and healthcare workers.
Healthcare workers who did not have a blood test to check antibody response in the recommended one-to-two-month period following completion of the primary vaccination course should be tested now and managed based on the results.
We have updated our advice for members to reflect these changes.
