The presence of hepatitis A antibodies in dental workers. A seroepidemiologic study.
BACKGROUND
The licensing of hepatitis A vaccine in the United States and other countries in the 1990s raised the question of vaccine candidates. The authors undertook a study to evaluate the presence of antibodies against hepatitis A virus, or HAV, in dental workers.


METHODS
The authors recruited 115 members of the dental staff of Tel Aviv University: 82 dentists, 21 dental assistants, eight dental hygienists and four laboratory technicians. The subjects completed a structured questionnaire regarding demographic information (such as age, sex, number of siblings, number of children) and occupational characteristics. Venous blood was obtained and examined for presence of immunoglobulin G antibodies to HAV by microparticle enzyme immunoassay.


RESULTS
Univariant analysis (chi 2 and Student t test) and multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis were used to identify variables that were associated with seropositivity. Greater number of years of occupation in dentistry were independently and significantly (P = .0004) associated with seropositivity to HAV. The calculated odds ratio showed that each year of work increased the likelihood of being seropositive by 1.06 (6 percent). Subjects tended to have higher seropositive rates if they were older, had a greater number of children, had a greater number of siblings, had worked in hospitals and worked with children (pediatric dentists and orthodontists).


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that HAV can be considered a hazard to dental workers, with risk increasing as the number of years in dentistry increases. More studies with larger sample sizes are needed.


CONCLUSIONS
As HAV infection is associated with morbidity and mortality, dentists--especially those working in areas of endemic HAV (such as Africa, Asia and Latin America)--are encouraged to consider receiving the active vaccine to prevent HAV infection.
Ashkenazi
M
M
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Maurice and Gabriela Goldschieger School of Dental Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel. shkenazi@post.tau.ac.il
Chodik
G
G
Littner
M
M
Aloni
H
H
Lerman
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003726:Dental Assistants; D003727:Dental Auxiliaries; D003756:Dental Hygienists; D003796:Dental Service, Hospital; D003800:Dental Technicians; D003815:Dentists; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006507:Hepatovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007557:Israel; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D009970:Orthodontics; D010298:Parity; D010377:Pediatric Dentistry; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G