Immunization of health care workers: new concepts. Forum

During the course of their work activities, health care workers often come into contact with patients who have communicable diseases. While barrier precautions and isolation procedures are useful in preventing transmission of nosocomial pathogens, immunizations available for some infectious diseases are a primary line of defense. It is important for health care workers not only to understand the method of transmission of these diseases, but to receive vaccines for those diseases that they may be at risk of acquiring. Each author was asked to discuss the hepatitis B vaccines which are currently available, from the standpoint of acceptability, side effects and cost. They were also questioned about the circumstances under which health care workers should be immunized against influenza, and about Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine's current role in the prevention of tuberculosis. Finally, we asked the authors to address vaccines of interest to health care workers which are currently in developmental stages, and are likely to become available within the next several years.