Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major worldwide health problem. It is estimated that 300 million people are chronic carriers and 2 million deaths occur annually. The Hepatitis B virus is transmitted by both parental and sexual routes. Infection risk, which is 5% in the general population, can be 15%-20% in health care workers, since they are in frequent contact with blood. Today, Hepatitis B is considered one of the major occupational infections in hospitals. The most effective measure

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... ainst infection is active immunization of susceptible individuals with available vaccines that are highly efficient and safe. Seroconversion occurs at an inverse proportion to the immunized person's age, reaching up to 90% in young adults. The objectives of this study were: 1. to evaluate natural HBV infection prior to vaccination determined by anti-HBc antibodies and its relation to general epidemiological conditions of personal and professional life as well as risk of HBV infection; 2. to determine anti-HBs antibody levels and their relation to general epidemiological conditions of personal and professional life as well as exposure to risk of HBV infection. We studied 113 health care workers; 98 females between 21 and 60 years old, and 15 males between 21 and 53 years old. They were submitted to a complete vaccination program between 1998 and the first semester of 2001. Blood samples were obtained from September 2001. The presence of anti-HBc showing infection prior to vaccination was found in 9 workers (8 were women). There