Seroprevalences of hepatitis B and C among health care workers in Turkey

We determined the seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among health care workers (HCWs) at Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Haydarpasa Training Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. Between April 1998 and September 2000, 702 HCWs were included in the study. The blood sample...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of viral hepatitis 2003-03, Vol.10 (2), p.150-156
Main Authors: Ozsoy, M. F., Oncul, O., Cavuslu, S., Erdemoglu, A., Emekdas, G., Pahsa, A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Blood Donors
epidemiology
Female
health care workers
Health Personnel
Hepacivirus - genetics
Hepacivirus - isolation & purification
Hepatitis B - diagnosis
Hepatitis B - epidemiology
Hepatitis B - virology
Hepatitis B Antibodies - blood
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens - blood
hepatitis B virus
Hepatitis B virus - genetics
Hepatitis B virus - isolation & purification
Hepatitis C - diagnosis
Hepatitis C - epidemiology
Hepatitis C - virology
Hepatitis C Antibodies - blood
hepatitis C virus
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
RNA, Viral - blood
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Turkey - epidemiology
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Summary:We determined the seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among health care workers (HCWs) at Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Haydarpasa Training Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. Between April 1998 and September 2000, 702 HCWs were included in the study. The blood samples were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B surface antibody (anti‐HBs) and HCV antibody (anti‐HCV) using third‐generation tests, with confirmation by reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction. Seroprevalence rates were compared with those detected in 5670 blood donors during the same period. HBsAg, anti‐HBs and anti‐HCV were detected in 21 (3.0%), in 480 (68.4%) and in 2 (0.3%) of 702 HCWs respectively. HBsAg and anti‐HCV rates were 2.1 and 0.4% in blood donors, respectively. These data show that the prevalence rates of HBV and HCV were similar with prevalence rates detected in randomized blood donors showing that universal infection‐control precautions and encouraging HBV vaccination reduces HCW infection with hepatotropic viruses.
ISSN:1352-0504
1365-2893
DOI:10.1046/j.1365-2893.2003.00404.x