title: Seroprevalence of markers of viral hepatitis in Yemeni healthcare workers.
abstract: The seroprevalence of viral hepatitis in healthcare workers has important public health implications. To assess the risk factors for the acquisition of viral hepatitis in an unvaccinated cohort from an hyperendemic region, 567 healthcare workers from a large hospital in the capital of the Republic of Yemen were interviewed and tested for serological markers of infection with viral hepatitis. 54/543 (9.9%) tested positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), 174/543 (32.0%) had positive hepatitis B core antibodies (anti-HBc), and 19/546 (3.5%) had hepatitis C antibodies (anti-HCV). Age (OR = 1.04, 95% CI 1.02-1.06), male sex (OR = 2.0, 1.32-3.03), and occupation (healthcare workers not carrying out exposure prone procedures, OR = 1.61, 1.06-2.44) were found to be independent predictors for the likelihood of detecting either HBsAg or anti-HBc by multivariate logistic regression analysis. No independent risk factors for anti-HCV positive status were identified. Our findings support the adoption of universal HBV immunisation programmes and infection control precautions. The absence of known risk factors predicting anti-HCV positive serostatus suggests the main mode of transmission of hepatitis C in this cohort in the Yemen remains undiscovered.
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of Gastroenterology, Homerton University Hospital, London, United Kingdom. ray.shidrawi@homerton.nhg.uk
authors.forename: Ray
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shidrawi
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ali Al-Huraibi
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmad Al-Haimi
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dayton
authors.forename: Iain M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Murray-Lyon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D015006:Yemen / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies