title: Hazardous environmental factors enhance impairment of liver function in HBV and HCV hepatitis.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) often cause chronic liver disease. We hypothesized that environmental factors adversely impact the liver function in workers with these types of hepatitis. We used liver function tests including aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and g -glutamyltransferase to evaluate whether hazardous work conditions increase the incidence of chronic liver disease among HBV and HCV infected workers. Organic solvent, night work, visual display terminals, dust, lead, vibrations, and ionizing radiation all led to increased impairment of liver function in patients with hepatitis as compared to the control group that were not exposed to such agents. Therefore, hazardous working conditions have to be carefully considered in the progress of chronic liver disease in workers infected with HBV and HCV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yashima
authors.forename: Tsunehiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oyama
authors.forename: Thi Thu Phuong
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Pham
authors.forename: Tetunosuke
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Narai
authors.forename: Toyohi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Isse
authors.forename: Hidetaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uramoto
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugio
authors.forename: Kosei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yasumoto
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kagawa
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawamoto
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires