title: Hepatitis B virus infection in health care workers in Albania: a country still highly endemic for HBV infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health care workers (HCW) have an elevated risk of acquiring and transmitting parenteral infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) markers with the final goal to encourage HBV vaccination of the non-immune Albanian HCW.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among 480 HCW enrolled, 92 were physicians, 246 were nurses/techniques, 120 were auxiliary workers and 22 were office workers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-HCV prevalence were 8.1%, 70% and 0.6%, respectively. The highest (11.4%) HBsAg prevalence was observed in the youngest age group (20-30 years of age). High HBsAg prevalence (7.2-7.5%) was detected also in age groups above 30 years. The highest HBsAg prevalence (12.6%) was found in the auxiliaries. The anti-HBc prevalence increased significantly with age from 59% in HCWs younger than 39 years to 87% among those older than 50 years. After adjustments for different job categories, age older than 40 years remained independently associated with anti-HBc positivity (OR = 2.9; 95% CI 1.9-4.6) and inversely associated with the lack of HBV immunity or infection markers (OR = 0.4; 95% CI 0.2-0.7). Of 142 HBsAg negative and/or anti-HBc Ab negative sera, 28 (20%) tested positive for anti-HBs. The 114 remaining individuals with no HBV infection or immunity markers were vaccinated against HBV infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high HBV infection rate and low HBV vaccination coverage were found in Albanian HCW. Albania is a Mediterranean country still highly endemic for HBV infection and new strategies to promote HBV vaccination are to be adopted.
authors.affiliation: Viral Hepatitis Unit, Dept. of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Disease, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Kondili
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ulqinaku
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hajdini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Basho
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chionne
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Madonna
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Taliani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Candido
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dentico
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bino
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rapicetta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000415:Albania / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines