title: Risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection among health care personnel in a community hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for antibody to the hepatitis C virus in hospital employees.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective testing of serum samples obtained from 1677 hospital employees during a prehepatitis B vaccination program in a private teaching community hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-three employees (1.4%) were found to have antibody to hepatitis C virus. The prevalence of antibody to hepatitis C virus was higher in blacks (3.4%) than in whites (1.1%, p = 0.03) and Hispanics (2.6%, p = 0.88). In a logistic regression model, factors significantly associated with antibody to hepatitis C virus seropositivity included antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (p = 0.002), a history of blood transfusion (p = 0.03), and needlestick injuries (p = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the prevalence of antibody to hepatitis C virus in health care workers was not high, needlestick injuries were associated with an increased risk for acquiring hepatitis C virus infection.
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Altanta, GA 30333.
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Polish
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Co
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Alter
mesh_terms: D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000150:complications; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies