Hepatitis B infection in ophthalmologists.
A seroepidemiologic survey of ophthalmologists in Western Pennsylvania was performed to define the hepatitis B virus (HBV) exposure risk for this subspecialty population. Of 70 participating ophthalmologists, only 5 (7.1%) had serologic evidence of prior hepatitis (positive hepatitis B surface antibody and antibody to the core antigen of hepatitis B). No participants were found to be HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen) positive. The infection rate for ophthalmologists appears lower than that previously described for physicians involved in surgical and nonsurgical medical specialties. However, caution is still recommended since hands and surgical instruments may become contaminated with HBV from the blood and secretions of hepatitis B patients or carriers.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D004501:Education, Medical; D005932:Gloves, Surgical; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000193:education; D010414:Pennsylvania; D012698:Serologic Tests