[Seroprevalences of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV in patients admitted to orthopedic and traumatology department].
OBJECTIVE
Orthopedic surgeons are at a higher occupational risk for blood-borne infections because of frequent handling of sharp instruments and bone fragments. We investigated the seroprevalences of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among patients treated at orthopedic and traumatology department.


METHODS
Data on age, sex, diagnoses, and the seroprevalences of HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-HIV were reviewed in 1,040 patients hospitalized between September 2003 and December 2004. The patients were divided into two groups as orthopedics (n=646; mean age 37.8 years) or trauma (n=394; mean age 38.3 years) according to the initial cause of presentation. The results were compared with those of 28,642 blood donations during the same period.


RESULTS
HBsAg positivity was similar in the patients (2.3%) and the controls (2.1%). HBsAg was detected in 16 patients (2.5%) in the orthopedics group and eight patients (2%) in the trauma group (p>0.05), three of whom were younger than one year. Similarly, the prevalences of anti-HCV antibodies were similar in the patient (0.6%) and control (0.3%) groups. Four patients (0.6%) in the orthopedics group and two patients (0.5%) in the trauma group were positive for anti-HCV (p>0.05), and all had a past history of operations. Anti-HIV positivity was not detected in the patient group, whereas it was 0.2% in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
The similarities between patients admitted to orthopedic and traumatology department and blood donors in the prevalences of HBsAg, and anti-HCV and anti-HIV antibodies suggest that data obtained from blood banks can be used for risk calculations.
Utkan
Ali
A
Ankara Numune Eğitim ve Araştirma Hastanesi 2. Ortopedi ve Travmatoloji Kliniği. utkana@yahoo.com
Dayican
Avni
A
Toyran
Alparslan
A
Tümöz
Mehmet Ali
MA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000150:complications*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission