Hepatitis B

What is it?

A variety of viruses that cause an inflammation of the liver.

What do I need?

A serology report showing immunity to Hepatitis B

How long will it take?

Up to eight months

Hepatitis B is a blood-borne viral infection that can easily be spread during exposure-prone procedures. It affects the liver and can lead to serious complications. Immunisation is the best protection against Hepatitis B.

While Hepatitis A and Hepatitis C are not mandatory vaccination requirements for placement, it is good to be aware of what they are.

  • Hepatitis A is a liver inflammation caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). The virus is primarily transmitted when an uninfected and unvaccinated individual consumes food or water contaminated with the faeces of an infected person. The disease is strongly linked to unsafe food and water, inadequate sanitation, poor personal hygiene, and oral-anal contact.

  • Hepatitis C is a viral infection that affects the liver, leading to both acute and chronic  illness, which can be life-threatening. The virus is transmitted through contact with infected blood, typically occurring through activities such as sharing needles or syringes or undergoing unsafe medical procedures.

Requirements

You need to show immunity to Hepatitis B. This check could take you up to eight months to complete if you need a full course of vaccinations (three vaccinations and serology), so we recommend that you prioritise this check accordingly. Students must also be tested for current hepatitis B infection no more than 12 months prior to course commencement. 

Vaccinations against this infectious disease are unlikely to provide you a life-long immunity and you will need to seek medical advice on how best to meet this requirement. If you think you have been immunised in the past, your doctor can run a serology test to check your current immunity levels. If it is established you are not currently immune, your doctor may recommend that you have a booster dose or a full course of vaccinations.

We can only clear your check once serological proof has been provided showing immunity. A full course of vaccinations can take some time to complete. Therefore, our placement protocol allows first year students to be eligible for placements if they have received at least two most recent doses of an approved brand of Hepatitis B vaccine. You must ensure that you clear your hepatitis B check by the end of that year by providing serology results.

If you do not have a placement in your first year, and start placements in your second year, the expectation is that you have been cleared (including proof of immunity via serology) before you start your placement. The first-year conditional circumstances will not apply.

Evidence

Upload a copy of your serology result showing sufficient levels of immunity.

Please note that students are required to undergo Hepatitis B surface antibodies (HBsAB) testing only. All other tests will not be accepted.

More details

  • You may be unable to achieve immunity to Hepatitis B for a variety of reasons, such as a medical condition or non-resposiveness to vaccinations via a serology. You will be able to attend placement but you will require a medical exemption.

    Steps to Follow for a Medical Condition Exemption:

    Medical exemptions must be recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). Please seek advice from your doctor, who can assist with updating your immunisation record if you're eligible for a medical exemption from Hepatitis B vaccination. There is only one form of evidence acceptable in this case:

    • A copy of your Immunisation History Statement from Medicare showing a recorded exemption to Hepatitis B vaccination.

    OR

    Steps to Follow for Non-responder:

    1. Obtain a Written Statement from Your Doctor

    The statement must include:

    • Confirmation that medical reasons prevent you from achieving immunity.
    • Acknowledgment that risk management advice has been provided.
    • Details of any recommended infection control mechanisms the University should be aware of.

    2. Provide Additional Documentation

    • Your most recent Serology Report.
    • Your most recent Vaccination Record.

    A non-responder is a person who:

    • is not infected with hepatitis B virus
    • has a documented history of an age-appropriate course of hepatitis B vaccine
    • has a current level of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) of <10 mIU per mL (4-8 weeks after a booster dose)

    For more information visit  Australia Immunisation Handbook for Non-responders to Hepatitis B vaccine.

  • Overseas records can be accepted for hepatitis B as long as they meet the following requirements:

    • Documents must be in English (translated documents will not be accepted).
    • Vaccination records must clearly show the dates and the brand names of vaccines administered.
    • Vaccination brands are aligned with the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

    Overseas serology

    Overseas serology is acceptable if the testing was performed in a facility accredited to the appropriate standard. Eligible facilities must be accredited to the ISO15189 standard for medical testing by an accreditation body that is recorded as a signatory to the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement. Your doctor should be able to confirm this.

    Serology tests should show the threshold levels employed by the lab where your tests were conducted.

Ready to submit your documents? Go to Sonia.

Still have questions? Contact the MDHS Student Hub.

Further information