Risk of hepatitis B virus in the slaughter house.
The study involved 180 Nigerian butchers and 180 traders (controls) selected by multistage stratified sampling who had their sera assayed for HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. The butchers and the controls had an HBsAg sero-prevalence rate of 9.4% and 3.3%, respectively. Various risky practices were more common among the butchers but their hepatitis B antigenaemia was not related to the duration of their occupational exposure. The study shows that the butchers constitute a high risk occupation for hepatitis B viral infection.
Ola
S O
SO
Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. soola@comui.edu.ng
Otegbayo
J A
JA
Yakubu
A
A
Odaibo
G N
GN
Olaleye
D O
DO
D000003:Abattoirs; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors