Hepatitis B markers in Gloucestershire firemen

Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids and the prevalence of serological markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection were studied in Gloucestershire firemen to assess the occupational risk of HBV infection. A high compliance was achieved (472/503, 94 per cent). Cumulative occupational expos...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Occupational medicine (Oxford) 1994-02, Vol.44 (1), p.9-11
Main Authors: Springbett, R. J., Cartwright, K. A. V., Watson, B. E., Morris, R., Cantle, A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Allied Health Personnel
Biological and medical sciences
Female
Fires
Hepatitis B - immunology
Hepatitis B - transmission
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
Human viral diseases
Humans
Infectious diseases
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Occupational Diseases - etiology
Occupational Diseases - immunology
United Kingdom
Viral diseases
Viral hepatitis
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids and the prevalence of serological markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection were studied in Gloucestershire firemen to assess the occupational risk of HBV infection. A high compliance was achieved (472/503, 94 per cent). Cumulative occupational exposure to blood or body fluids rose progressively to 68 per cent after 24 years' service. No sera were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Six sera were positive for hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) and were tested for hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc). The four subjects who were positive for anti-HBs alone had all received HBV vaccine. Two sera contained both anti-HBs and anti-HBc. Therefore, 2/472 firemen (0.42 per cent) showed evidence of previous HBV infection, a similar proportion to that found in a recent study in UK blood donors (0.49 per cent). Despite considerable exposure to blood and body fluids, an occupational risk of hepatitis B infection was not found in Gloucestershire firemen.
ISSN:0962-7480
1471-8405
DOI:10.1093/occmed/44.1.9