Hepatitis B prevalence in local authority employees

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Occupational Health
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Background:

• Hepatitis B virus (HBV) poses a significant public health concern.
• Understanding HBV prevalence in occupational settings is crucial for targeted prevention strategies.
• Employees in local authorities may have unique exposure risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of hepatitis B infection among employees in local authorities.
• To identify potential occupational risk factors associated with hepatitis B infection.
• To compare HBV prevalence in this cohort to a general population control group.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 420 employees from three local authorities.
• Serological testing for hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs).
• Comparison with a control group of blood donors.

Main Results:

• Overall prevalence of hepatitis B infection (indicated by anti-HBc) was 1.2% (5 out of 420 employees).
• Among positive cases, one was an HBsAg carrier, three had anti-HBs, and one had only anti-HBc.
• No significant difference in prevalence was found compared to blood donors (P > 0.05).
• A notable finding was that four of the five anti-HBc positive individuals worked with mentally or physically handicapped individuals or those recently discharged from long-term care.

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of hepatitis B infection in this cohort of local authority employees is relatively low and not significantly different from the general population.
• However, a higher proportion of positive cases were identified among employees working with vulnerable populations, highlighting a potential occupational health concern.
• Further investigation into targeted screening and preventative measures for healthcare workers and those in close contact with at-risk individuals is warranted.