Hepatitis B and C seropositivity among nursing students at a Turkish university.
BACKGROUND
Viral hepatitis infections are major health problems, which are especially prevalent in developing countries. In particular, health care workers are at high risk for contracting viral hepatitis. Therefore, preventive measures to minimize occupational exposure to blood borne pathogens are needed to protect both health care workers and nursing students.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of Hepatitis B and C infections and risk factors among nursing students.


METHODS
Venous bloods were obtained from nursing students and were serologically tested using the ELISA method. A questionnaire form was also used to obtain data related to demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the participants.


RESULTS
0.7% of the nursing students were serologically positive for HBsAg, 17.0% for Anti-HBs and 7.5% were positive for Anti-HBc (IgG). No statistical relationship was determined between all independent variables and the results of serologic tests.
Irmak
Z
Z
Mugla University, Mugla School of Health Sciences, Mugla State Hospital, Department of Infectious Diseases, Mugla, Turkey.
Ekinci
B
B
Akgul
A F
AF
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology