Open AccessOccupational hepatitis C virus infection in Italian health care workers. Italian Study Group on Occupational Risk of Bloodborne Infections.
Author(s) -
Vincenzo Puro,
Nicola Petrosillo,
Giuseppe Ippolito,
Marta Aloisi,
Evangelo Boumis,
Lucilla Ravà
Publication year - 1995
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.85.9.1272
Subject(s) - medicine , housekeeping , hepatitis c virus , hepatitis , occupational exposure , hepatitis a virus , environmental health , hepatitis b virus , health care , virus , immunology , biochemistry , chemistry , economics , gene , economic growth
The risk of exposed health care workers in 16 Italian hospitals becoming infected with hepatitis C virus was assessed through two serosurveys at a 1-year interval and at follow-up. Prevalence, which was 2.2%, was significantly associated with previous acute hepatitis, blood transfusions, housekeeping, and older age (> 46 years) but not with occupational risk factors. After 1 year, 2622 (87%) of the 3006 seronegative health care workers were retested, and 3 (0.1%), who did not acknowledge occupational or community risk factors, seroconverted. Additionally, 133 (97 needlesticks) out of 370 reported occupational exposures were to hepatitis C virus; one pricked nurse seroconverted (0.75%). Although the risk is not negligible, hepatitis C virus infection does not seem to be easily occupationally transmitted.