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Hepatitis C virus infection in health care workers referred to a hepatitis clinic
Author(s) -
Cooksley W Graham E,
Butterworth Lesley A
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1996.tb122234.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hepatitis c virus , cirrhosis , health care , hepatitis c , needlestick injury , hepatitis , liver biopsy , liver disease , immunology , biopsy , virus , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , economics , economic growth
Objectives To assess method of acquisition, presence of liver disease, potential infectivity and the effect on work practices in health care workers with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection referred to a hepatitis clinic. Patients and methods All 33 health care workers referred to a hepatitis clinic for management of HCV infection because of a positive test for HCV (enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay) between 1 January 1990 and 31 December 1994 (comprising six medical practitioners, 18 nurses, two scientists and seven others) were retrospectively assessed for most likely method of infection, alanine aminotransferase levels, results of liver biopsy and measurement of HCV‐RNA. Results 30 health care workers (12 men and 18 women; age range, 27–68 years) had HCV infection confirmed on further testing. Only seven were believed to have acquired their infection occupationally (one with documented needlestick injury), Twenty‐eight patients had elevated alanine aminotransferase levels and, of 23 patients who underwent liver biopsy, one had cirrhosis and 12 had chronic hepatitis and fibrosis. Of the 24 health care workers with direct patient contact, four had retired, eight had stopped or modified their work practices and 12 continued to practise normally. Conclusions Few health care workers with chronic HCV infection have acquired it occupationally. We recommend that guidelines be set up for institutional expert committees to advise health care workers with HCV infection about modifying their work practice.