Hepatitis B exposure in emergency medical personnel. Prevalence of serologic markers and need for immunization.
To assess the occupational risk of hepatitis B infection in emergency medical personnel, a seroepidemiologic survey of 87 emergency medical technicians and paramedics was conducted. Serologic markers indicating exposure to hepatitis B virus were detected in 18 percent. The prevalence of markers was associated with race (p = 0.006), with a relative risk of 3.5 (95 percent confidence interval 1.42 to 8.63) for nonwhites. Seropositivity was not associated with age, sex, previous clinical hepatitis, or blood transfusion. There was a suggestion that duration of employment as an emergency medical technician was related to the prevalence of hepatitis B markers (p = 0.11). Efforts to control the risk of hepatitis B infection in this profession are complicated by unique problems with post-exposure prophylaxis and uncontrolled exposure to blood. Immunization with hepatitis B vaccine would be the optimal strategy to reduce infection in this high-risk occupation.
D000328:Adult; D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D044383:Black People; D001900:Boston; D004634:Emergency Medical Technicians; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014611:Vaccination; D001741:Black or African American
D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens