title: Hepatitis C virus among health care workers.
abstract: The purpose of our study was to describe the results of a seroprevalence survey for HCV antibody among health care workers at our center. 961 specimens were consecutively obtained under code and screened for anti-HCV by the second generation immunoblot assay (RIBA 2) and hepatitis B core antibody by CORAB test. After serum samples were tested, we reviewed demographic data and categorized four groups: intravenous drug abusers (IVDAs), blood recipients, health care workers and apparently healthy subjects. 51/97 (52.6%) IVDAs, 8/77 (10.4%) transfusion recipients, 12/472 (2.5%) health care workers and 8/285 (2.8%) apparently healthy subjects were anti-HCV positive. Furthermore dividing health care personnel by type of profession we found that surgeons have a higher seroprevalence (4.3%) compared to other professions. Therefore severe preventive standards are required for health care workers.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health and Social Medicine, University Federico II, Naples.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Mercato
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guarnaccia
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciannella
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cantiello
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Celentano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Antonio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Iaiunese
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies