title: Prevalence of hepatitis C antibodies in clinical health-care workers.
abstract: Health-care workers are known to be at risk from occupational transmission of blood-borne viruses, including hepatitis C. There may be serious implications following infection with hepatitis C including possible transmission to patients. We determined the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies among health-care workers at risk of occupational contact with blood and body fluids and among source patients in reported blood-exposure incidents. Anonymised stored blood samples from health-care workers immunised against hepatitis B virus since 1991 (n = 1053) and blood samples from source patients in needlestick injuries (retrospective and prospective) since 1989 (n = 373) were analysed. 3 (0.28%) of the serum samples from health-care workers were found to be anti-HCV-positive. 17 (8.5%) of 200 source patients tested retrospectively between January 1989 and January 1992, and 24 (13.9%) of 173 source patients tested prospectively between January 1992 and June 1993 were anti-HCV-positive. During the second period, 15 (10.6%) of 142 source patients tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were positive and 7 (3.8%) of 184 source patients tested for hepatitis B surface antigen were positive. 6 of 24 (25%) HCV-infected patients were diagnosed only after the incident; for hepatitis B, 2 (33%) of patients were diagnosed after the incident, and for HIV all patients were previously diagnosed. The seroprevalence of HCV among these health-care workers is no higher than that reported in blood donors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Occupational Health Unit, Royal Free NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zuckerman
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Clewley
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cockcroft
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; D007753:Laboratories; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies