Prevalence of HCV infection in health care workers of a UK dental hospital.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies in a group of dental health care workers (DHCW).


METHODS
Retrospective cross sectional study.


METHODS
A UK dental hospital.


METHODS
The sera of 167 unselected DHCW were tested for the presence of IgG antibodies to HCV using two, third-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). HCV viremia was determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis.


RESULTS
Two (1.2%) of the serum samples were found to be anti-HCV positive; one was also viremic. The two antibody-positive subjects were a qualified dental nurse and a student dental nurse, both females, without any known risk factor for HCV acquisition. No dentist was HCV seropositive.


CONCLUSIONS
Since the prevalence of HCV infection in the UK general population varies between 0.08% and 0.55%, these results suggest that DHCW, and auxiliary staff in particularly, may have a slightly increased risk of HCV infection.
Lodi
G
G
Department of Oral Medicine, Eastman Dental Institute for Oral Health Care Sciences, University of London.
Porter
S R
SR
Teo
C G
CG
Scully
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003797:Dental Staff / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies