Problem with Hep B Titer...Please Help

[muzica10]

I'm an upcoming nursing student and I recently finished my hep b vaccine series. However, after having my final vaccination and follow up testing, it looks like my hep b titer is nonexistent - I'm also negative for the Hep B surface antigen, which means I have no acute or chronic infection. Another girl in my class didn't have the antibodies after the 3 series either (she is from a totally different area/different doctor) - which is strange, considering how most people our age seroconvert. Anyways, I received some counseling from my doctor about hep b and the option to repeat the series, but no info as to why this happened. I'm a young male, don't smoke and I'm not overweight. Does anybody have any idea why this might have happened and if it will be a problem for nursing school if I never end up making hep b antibodies? Thanks guys.

[mammac5]

Some people never have a positive titer for Hep B...even after completion of the entire series. Some will seroconvert after the 1st injection!

Check the policy at your school; they should have a policy to follow for student who do not test positive but have proof that they've completed the series.

[RaeRN30, BSN, RN]

Some people just don't convert... I know of 2 classmates who never converted and were still able to participate in clinicals.

The reason you're not converting? Assuming you are a healthy individual with no chronic condition that could affect your immune system you are probably not converting due to a simple genetic defect in your immune system that prevents you from developing the antibodies in response to the vaccine. Some people will develop the antibodies after several HepB series injections. I would get another series or booster.

[efy2178]

I have had 10 vaccinations for hep B and cannot convert. I guess I am just one of those who won't.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

Seroconversion is a strange, strange, thing. Sometimes, it takes multiple vaccination series' to do it. Sometimes, it can happen (i.e. titers show up), but after a few years, they are gone, even for those vaccinations that don't require boosters by the CDC.

I had titers to rubeola in the early '90s (a check needed for entrance into a master's program), with my last MMR when I was a kid. However, upon getting them re-checked for NS, I had no titers for rubeola and needed the MMR again. Go figure.

[CrunchyMama, ASN, RN]

It makes sense considering vaccines aren't 100% effective and you can still get a disease/illness even after being vaccinated for it. I would talk to your advisor or nursing dept. head and see what he/she says. Good luck!