Role of infection control in prevention of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in hemodialysis (HD) patients

Abstract

Hemodialysis (HD) patients are particularly vulnerable to Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and have less sustained and lower antibody response to HBV vaccination. Among blood-borne pathogens, HBV can stay alive on environmental surfaces for over a week. The incidence of HBV was extremely high among HD patients. HBV vaccination, screening of blood products and infection control measures lead to significant decrease of HBV among HD patients. The infection control measures include; Medication safety and injection practices, environmental cleaning and disinfection, reuse of dialyzers for same patients, hand hygiene, isolation and barrier precautions, HBV vaccination and routine serology checking, assuring HBV immune status for HD unit staff, transmission based precautions and outbreak management.