: Authors

 Nazir Ibrahim and Amr Idris
Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology Departments, Syrian Private University, P.O. Box 36822, Damascus, Syria
Internal Medicine Department, Syrian Private University, Mazzeh Street, P.O. Box 36822, Damascus, Syria
*Amr Idris: amr­idris@hotmail.com
Academic Editor: Piero Luigi Almasio
Received 2014 May 16; Revised 2014 Oct 23; Accepted 2014 Oct 23.
Copyright © 2014 N. Ibrahim and A. Idris.

:Abstract

 Background. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a potentially life­threating infection and a well­recognized occupational hazard for health­care workers including medical students. Methods. A cross­sectional study was conducted at Syrian Private University (SPU), Faculty of Medicine, to assess the knowledge and awareness about hepatitis B, the status of hepatitis B    vaccination, and the reasons for not getting  vaccinated among the first­ and the fifth­year medical students. Results. The present study demonstrates surprising results and raises   issues about the high number of medical students that are not vaccinated or not sure about their vaccination status, which puts them at a higher risk of being infected in the future. Another important issue is the medical students' overall knowledge about this life­threating infection. The students have not been totally educated about the gravity of the situation which requires the need of  further HBV education. It is highly recommended that SPU provides the HBV vaccine to all nonvaccinated students attending the faculty of medicine at  no cost to encourage them to take the HBV vaccine and to reform some of its educational curriculum to effectively limit the hazardous effects of this disease and elaborate on the serious health consequences of HBV.