The low risk of hepatitis B in rural hospitals. Results of a seroepidemiologic survey.
To determine the risk of hepatitis B virus infection for rural hospital employees, we obtained serum and a completed questionnaire from each of 2,064 employees of 11 rural hospitals. Only 96 (4.7%) employees had hepatitis B virus markers. Increased marker prevalence was significantly associated with prior residence in a city with a population of greater than 100,000 (odds ratio, 2.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.6 to 5.2) and increasing blood contact (odds ratio, 1.6; confidence interval, 1.2 to 2.3); however, the association with blood contact was not significant when we limited analysis to the 836 employees who had never lived in a city. We conclude that the risk of hepatitis B virus infection for these rural hospital employees is low, probably because the incidence of hepatitis B in rural areas is low.
D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D012306:Risk; D012423:Rural Health; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014861:Washington
D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens