title: Seroprevalence of pertussis antibody among health care personnel in Spain.
abstract: Pertussis in healthcare workers is of particular concern, as they can be in contact with infected patients and may transmit the infection to susceptible patients, co-workers and other contacts. This study was carried out to examine the prevalence of pertussis antibodies in hospital personnel. A total of 487 healthcare workers > or = 25 years in age and students (19-24 years) in hospital training were recruited. The overall prevalence of pertussis antibody determined by ELISA was 51.7%. No significant differences on prevalence by age group (19-24, 25-34, 35-44 and > or = 45 years) and occupation (student, physician, nursing personnel and non-healthcare occupations) were found. In Spain, health care personnel in a general hospital will not have a significantly higher risk of serologically detectable contact with B. pertussis. Fifty percent of physicians and nursing personnel working in hospital were seronegative for pertussis antibody. A high percentage of these subjects will be susceptible to infection.
authors.affiliation: Preventive Medicine Service, 12 de Octubre University Hospital, Madrid, Spain. jrjp@medynet.com
authors.forename: Jose-Ramón
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: de Juanes
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: María-Pilar
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Arrazola
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: San-Martín
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Esteban
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001886:Bordetella pertussis / Q000276:immunology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D000078329:Workforce
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial