title: [Infections caused by hepatitis virus A and B in hospital personnel. Prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis virus A, HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc].
abstract: In order to evaluate the risk of hepatitis A and B virus infection among hospital staff in our area, 584 medical and paramedical employees of the Hospital of Ferrara (Italy) were studied for the presence of anti-HAV, HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc serum. HAV infection was found to be less frequent among medical and nursing staff than the general population, matched for age (78.6% vs 72.2%) indicating that HAV spread within the hospital is irrelevant. However, the evidence of HBV infection is higher in hospital staff than in the general population (37.6% vs 23.0%) with a maximum prevalence in surgeons and in the operating-theatre staff, followed by nurses (both from surgical and medical wards) and physicians. The prevalence in auxiliary staff is not significantly higher than in the general population. The incidence of antibodies against HBV (anti-HBs and anti-HBc) increases with age and duration of employment, while the prevalence reaches a maximum during the initial years. The anti-HBc testing allowed for the detection of further 10% of subjects evidencing previous HBV infection.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010564:Personnel, Hospital
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
vernacular_title: Infezioni da virus epatitici "A" e "B" in personale ospedaliero. Prevalenza di anti-HAV, HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBc.