Prevalence of hepatitis B markers in the anesthesia staff of a large inner-city hospital.
Thirty-four of seventy anesthesia staff members from an inner-city hospital evidenced past infection with hepatitis B. This is more than twice the prevalence previously reported for university-affiliated hospitals. Our findings suggest that screening before vaccinating is likely to be cost-effective for senior or foreign-born urban health care personnel in high-risk specialties, and vaccinating without screening is likely to be cost-effective for all persons newly entering high-risk specialties, including anesthesiology.
D000761:Anesthesia Department, Hospital; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006801:Humans; D009518:New York
D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens