Occupational risk of human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus infections among funeral service practitioners in Maryland.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the risk of exposure and infection with bloodborne pathogens, a seroepidemiologic survey was conducted among funeral service practitioners (FSPs) in Maryland.


METHODS
Of 262 members of the Maryland State Funeral Directors Association, 130 (49%) volunteered to participate in the study. In addition to a brief questionnaire, designed to assess both occupational and non-occupational risk factors for bloodborne pathogen infection, participants were screened for markers of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and past hepatitis B virus (HBV). Titers for antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) also were examined and compared with history of hepatitis B vaccination.


RESULTS
Seroprevalence for HIV, HBV, and HCV infection was 0.8%, 4.6%, and 0%, respectively. Nearly 19% of participants reported at least one bloodborne exposure in the past 6 months. The one HIV infection and all but two of the HBV infections were correlated with well-established non-occupational risk behaviors. Disposable gloves were worn by 96%, and eating, drinking, or smoking during embalming were infrequent. Sixty-one percent of FSPs reported having received one or more doses of hepatitis B vaccine at some time in the past. Of those who reported having received all three doses of vaccine, 67% had adequate titers to hepatitis B surface antibody, the marker of protection related to vaccination.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared with prior studies of FSPs, this study found a low rate of occupational exposures and a high rate of hepatitis B vaccination, suggesting improved compliance with recommendations for preventing transmission of bloodborne pathogens in the workplace.
Gershon
R R
RR
Department of Environmental Health Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore 21205-2179, USA.
Vlahov
D
D
Farzadegan
H
H
Alter
M J
MJ
D005655:Funeral Rites; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008396:Maryland; D009027:Mortuary Practice; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data