Hepatitis and hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody in dentists.
Dentists were surveyed regarding a history of hepatitis and the presence in the blood of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody (anti-HBs) to determine whether they were at high risk of exposure to hepatitis B virus. Of 288 Canadian dentists 5.2% gave a history of hepatitis after graduation. This proportion is similar to that for 1462 Ontario dentists (6.3%) and that for 3162 accountants (5.1%) who had previously completed a mailed questionnaire. One dentist (0.3%) was HBsAg-positive and 42 (14.6%) were anti-HBs-positive. Of 210 healthy volunteer blood donors matched for age, sex and ethnic origin with the group of dentists none was HBsAg-positive and 2.9% significantly fewer (P less than 0.005), were anti-HBs-positive. Among Ontario blood donors 0.3% were HBsAg-positive and 3% were anti-HBs-positive. Thus, in Canada, dentists are not at increased risk of acquiring clinical hepatitis or becoming carriers, but they are more likely than other groups to have anti-HBs in the blood. Among dentists from outside Canada a higher proportion had a history of hepatitis (10.3%) and were HBsAg-positive (1.6%), but approximately the same proportion were anti-HBs-positive (15.9%).
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001782:Blood Donors; D002170:Canada; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology*; D003815:Dentists; D014943:Global Health; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D009864:Ontario; D012306:Risk; D013335:Students, Dental
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens