title: Risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection among Egyptian healthcare workers in a national liver diseases referral centre.
abstract: Little is known about the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among healthcare workers (HCW) in Egypt, where the highest worldwide prevalence of HCV exists. The prevalence of HCV, hepatitis B virus and Schistosoma mansoni antibodies was examined in 842 HCWs at the National Liver Institute in the Nile Delta, where >85% of patients are HCV antibody-positive. The mean age of HCWs was 31.5 years and they reported an average of 0.6±1.2 needlesticks/HCW/year. The prevalence of anti-HCV, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and co-infection was 16.6%, 1.5% and 0.2%, respectively. HCV-RNA was present in 72.1% of anti-HCV-positive HCWs, and all but one subject were infected with HCV genotype 4. Schistosoma mansoni antibodies were present in 35.1%. The anti-HCV rate increased sharply with age and employment duration, but not among those with needlestick history. After adjusting for other risk factors, the anti-HCV rate was higher among older HCWs [P<0.001; risk ratio (RR) = 1.086, 95% CI 1.063-1.11], males (P=0.002; RR=1.911, 95% CI 1.266-2.885) and those with rural residence (P<0.001; RR=2.876, 95% CI 1.830-4.52). Occupation (P=0.133), duration of employment (P=0.272) or schistosomal antibody positivity (P=0.152) were not significant risk factors for anti-HCV positivity. In conclusion, although one in six HCWs had been infected with HCV, the infections were more likely to be community-acquired and not occupationally related.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt. sayed.abdelwahab@med.miniauniv.edu.eg
authors.forename: Sayed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abdelwahab
authors.forename: Eman
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rewisha
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hashem
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sobhy
authors.forename: Iman
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Galal
authors.forename: Walaa R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Allam
authors.forename: Nabeil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mikhail
authors.forename: Gehan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galal
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Tabbakh
authors.forename: Samer S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: El-Kamary
authors.forename: Imam
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Waked
authors.forename: G Thomas
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Strickland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral