Occupational risk for hepatitis A and hepatitis E among health care professionals?
BACKGROUND
Since transmission routes of hepatitis E virus (HEV) and hepatitis A virus (HAV) are believed to be similar, comparable risk factors and a correlation between the two seroprevalence rates may be assumed.


METHODS
Anti-HAV and anti-HEV serology was assessed in 511 German subjects from nursing, pediatric nursing and administration groups, none of whom had been vaccinated against HAV. At the same time a standardized questionnaire on occupational and individual parameters was completed.


RESULTS
Overall seroprevalence for anti-HEV was 3.9%, for anti-HAV 28%. Multivariate analysis revealed that anti-HEV seroprevalence was significantLy higher in persons working in emergency admission or in surgery, while persons working in children's psychiatry were more likely to be anti-HAV positive. Comparing the two serological resulLts, no contingency difference was found (chi2 = 0.42 (df = 1), p > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Specific departments of health care show higher prevalence of anti-HAV or anti-HEV. In the case of HEV further studies in the exposed working field are needed. Since no connection between the two serological results was found, transmission mechanisms might be (partly) different.
Nübling
M
M
Dept of Applied Physiology, Occupational Medicine and Infectiology, University of Wuppertal, Germany. ffas.freiburg@t-online.de
Hofmann
F
F
Tiller
F W
FW
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017957:Hepatitis A Virus, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies