Compliance with hepatitis B virus vaccine: A matter of force?

Background Vaccination for hepatitis B virus has been mandatory in Italy since 1991 for newborns but not for workers exposed to biologic fluids. Methods The immunologic status against hepatitis B virus was investigated in 827 paramedical students of Padua University Medical School. The students were subdivided according to sex and 2 age groups: 24 years of age or less and older than 24 years because subjects aged 24 years or less were probably included in the Italian vaccination mandatory period. Results Subjects born during the mandatory period showed a large compliance to vaccination (94.9%) and without statistically significant difference between males and females compared with the oldest students (67.6%). Conclusion The prevention at work is a matter of public health, not an individual sensitivity. For this reason, the devices to prevent accidents and diseases should be mandatory for all exposed subjects.