Open AccessPrevalence of hepatitis B serologic markers in community hospital personnel.
Author(s) -
Arlene A. McLean,
Genevive Monahan,
Diannem . Finkelstein
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.77.8.998
Subject(s) - seroprevalence , medicine , hepatitis b , serology , health care , environmental health , family medicine , demography , virology , immunology , sociology , economics , antibody , economic growth
The seroprevalence of hepatitis B markers among predominantly high-risk staff members and personnel of 31 community hospitals located throughout the United States was 8.4 per cent (greater than or equal to 5 per cent in 25 hospitals and greater than or equal to 10 per cent in 13 hospitals). Only two hospitals had seroprevalence rates less than or equal to 3 per cent. The institutional seroprevalence ranged from 0 per cent to 16.7 per cent, with a median of 8.2 per cent. Although there are limitations to this survey, the results suggest that the well established increased risk of contracting HBV infection among certain groups of health-care workers in urban teaching medical centers may also hold true for personnel in similar occupational and professional categories in community hospitals.