title: Seroepidemiological survey of health care workers in Maharashtra.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HCWs all over the world carry occupational risk of getting infected with major blood borne infections through needle stick injuries (NSIs). As health care industry has been expanding, risk of nosocomial infections is increasing proportionately. Measures to prevent it and put in place a mechanism to control these injuries are needed urgently, especially in India where there is not only increase in domestic demand but impetus in health tourism.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine HBs Ag, HBc IgM level and to assess anti-HBs level prevalence in HCWs, in a tertiary care hospital and to study the influence of factors like age and sex in the vaccinated HCWs and formulate mechanism to increase awareness to create a safe working environment in the hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  437 HCWs, working in Laboratories, Surgical, Medical or Dental departments in 11 Civil Hospitals and Sub-district Hospitals covering 8 circles of the State.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative and Quantitative estimation of HBs Ag and Anti-HBs by sandwich ELISA technique and qualitative HBc IgM level by antibody-capture, non-competitive test. Liver profile (SGPT, SGOT and Alkaline Phosphatase) by IFCC method done.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tabulation and Pie Circle Result: 193 of the total 229 vaccinated HCWs tested positive for core antibody, meaning that they were infected prior to HBs Ag vaccination, leaving a total of 36 'truly' vaccinated HCWs. 11 HBs Ag positive HCWs were tested for Liver Profile and all had ALAT, ASAT and ALP within normal range. Out of total number of 141 HCWs having 10 and below IU/L anti HBs, 5 HCWs were positive for HBS Ag, showing a positivity of 3.5%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Need of vaccination and for post-vaccination serological testing of all HCWs considering the high rates of non-responders and low responders (anti-HBs-34.2%). Importance of educating the HCWs of safety precautions while handling body fluids, and the management of ' sharps ' injuries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Coordination, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taishete
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chowdhary
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens