Prevalence survey for hepatitis B in high-risk university hospital employees

A 1974 prevalence survey of laboratory and dialysis employees identified 8.7% (4 of 46) with evidence of past hepatitis B infection. Since then increasing numbers of asymptomatic carriers have been admitted to University Hospital. Reports of exposures by employees have also increased. With the availability of a hepatitis B vaccine and the changes in patient population, a second prevalence survey was conducted to target employees at greatest risk for hepatitis B virus. Sixty-two percent (422 of 687) of high-risk employees who completed both blood work and questionnaires were study participants; 10.66% (45 of 422) had positive markers for hepatitis B virus. Laboratory personnel had the highest prevalence rate, 15% (25 of 164), whereas obstetric personnel had the lowest, 0% (0 of 52). Prevalence increased with age (chi 2 for linear trend, p = 0.000005), years of blood handling (p = 0.00003), work in a laboratory setting (p = 0.02), increasing numbers of puncture wounds from needles of patients with hepatitis B virus infection (p = 0.02), previous history of jaundice (p = 0.0003), and history of hepatitis (p = 0.000002).