1.Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Virus among Health Care Workers in Korea.
Bo Moon SHIN ; Hyeon Mi YOO ; Ae Sook LEE ; Sang Keun PARK
Journal of Korean Medical Science 2006;21(1):58-62
We studied the seroprevalence of HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc and the vaccination histories among health care workers (HCWs) at a large suburban referral hospital in Korea. The purpose of this study was to determine the immune status of HCWs against hepatitis B virus and we also wanted to prepare a practical guideline to protect HCWs from occupational exposure. During December, 2003, 571 HCWs (56 physicians, 289 nurses, 113 technicians and 113 aid-nurses) aged between 21 and 74 yr were included in the surveillance. The positive rates of HBsAg and anti-HBs were 2.4% (14/571) and 76.9% (439/571), respectively. The positive rate of anti-HBs was lower in the physician group, and this was associated with the male gender and older age. Of the 439 anti-HBs positive cases, 320 cases (73.1%) were anti-HBc negative and this was significantly associated with a past history of HBV vaccination. The distribution of the anti-HBs levels was not associated with age (except for HCWs in their sixties), gender or occupation. Our study revealed that the seroprevalence rates of HBsAg and anti-HBs in HCWs in Korea were not different from those of the general population. Based on this surveillance, we can make reasonable decisions in case of occupational exposure to hepatitis B virus.
Adult
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Aged
;
Antibodies, Viral/blood
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Female
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*Health Personnel
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Hepatitis B/*epidemiology/virology
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Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/blood
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Hepatitis B virus/immunology
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Humans
;
Korea/epidemiology
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Logistic Models
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Male
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Middle Aged
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Multivariate Analysis
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Occupational Diseases/*epidemiology/virology
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Seroepidemiologic Studies
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Vaccination/statistics & numerical data