title: Prevalence of hepatitis B in a general hospital: screening of patients and staff.
abstract: Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was sought over a six-month period in patients and staff members of the intensive care, cardiothoracic, and haematology/oncology units of a large general hospital. In addition, HBsAg was sought in all inpatients, outpatients and staff members at one point in time during August, 1977. A positive HBsAg state occurred with a prevalence of 1.55% in the three intensively studied units (cardiothoracic unit, 0.88%; haematology/oncology unit, 1.65%; and intensive care unit, 3.1%) and 0.9% for the point prevalence survey of hospital patients excluding the three intensively monitored areas. Very few of these patients had disorders traditionally associated with hepatitis B antigenaemia. In the survey of staff members, 0.72% of results were HBsAg positive. Of the factors examined, the most important determinant of the hepatitis B positive state both in patients and in staff members was their country of origin (that is, being born in southern or eastern Europe or in Asia).
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D001315:Australia; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005060:Europe / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006757:Hospital Units; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens