Prevalence of the patients with history of hepatitis in a dental facility.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study is to investigate the prevalence of the dental patients who had a history of hepatitis.


METHODS
A total of 13.527 records of patients who were examined between October 1, 2002 and October 1, 2004 were reviewed retrospectively. The medical histories of patients were taken before routine clinical and radiographic examination. A dental software program was used for the collection of data. The chi-square test was utilized to evaluate correlations between different parameters.


RESULTS
The percentage of the patients who had a medical history of hepatitis was 7.9% (n=1065). Within the total patients; history of hepatitis A was found as 3.2% (n=438), hepatitis B was 2.3% (n=308), hepatitis C was 0.1% (n=16). The frequency of the patients who were hepatitis B carriers was 0.8% (n=113) and 17% (n=181) of patients did not know which type of hepatitis they had suffered from.


CONCLUSIONS
Because dentists are particularly at risk for contacting hepatitis, a strict sterilization procedure is mandatory to prevent the transmission.
Ilgüy
Dilhan
D
Department of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey. ilguy@yeditepe.edu.tr
Ilgüy
Mehmet
M
Dinçer
Semanur
S
Bayirli
Gündüz
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill; D003749:Dental Facilities; D005260:Female; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D019552:Infection Control, Dental; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013242:Sterilization; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology