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Liver disease
A study of hepatitis C prevalence in healthcare workers in the West of Scotland
  1. D Thorburna,
  2. D Dundasb,
  3. E A B McCrudenb,
  4. S O Cameronc,
  5. D J Goldbergd,
  6. I S Symingtone,
  7. A Kirkf,
  8. P R Millsa
  1. aGastroenterology Unit, Gartnavel General Hospital, Glasgow G12 0YN, UK, bDivision of Virology, IBLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G11 5JR, UK, cRegional Virus Laboratory, Gartnavel General Hospital, Glasgow G12 0YN, UK, dScottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health, Clifton House, Glasgow G3 7LN, UK , eGlasgow Occupational Health, North Glasgow Hospitals University NHS Trust, Glasgow G1 1JA, UK , fCardiothoracic Unit, Western Infirmary, Glasgow G11 6NT, UK
  1. Dr P R Mills, Level 8, Gartnavel General Hospital, 1053 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 0YN, UK.gqna14{at}udcf.gla.ac.uk

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Whether healthcare workers have an increased prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection as a result of exposure to patient's blood and body fluids is controversial. This study assesses the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in healthcare workers, and its relation to the performance of exposure prone procedures and duration of occupational exposure, allowing an estimate to be made of the incidence of occupationally acquired hepatitis C infection among medical staff.

METHODS In this anonymous retrospective cohort study, we estimated the prevalence of hepatitis C infection in 10 654 healthcare workers. ELISA-3 testing was performed on pools of five sera collected during immunisation against hepatitis B. Healthcare workers were arranged into five occupational groups, according to the degree of patient exposure, and three age bands (<30 years, 30–39 years, >40 years).

RESULTS Prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C was 0.28% (30/10 654), comparable in all occupational groups (p=0.34) and unrelated to duration of potential exposure. Assuming that all detected infections had been occupationally acquired, the maximum estimated risk of hepatitis C infection in exposure prone medical staff was low: 1.4% for surgeons and 1.0% for physicians over a 35 year professional career.

CONCLUSIONS Hepatitis C infection is infrequent in healthcare workers in Glasgow. Those conducting exposure prone procedures do not seem to be at higher risk than other healthcare staff.

  • hepatitis C virus
  • epidemiology
  • exposure prone procedures
  • healthcare worker

  • Abbreviations used in this paper

    HCV
    hepatitis C virus
    HBV
    hepatitis B virus
    RT-PCR
    reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction

    • https://doi.org/10.1136/gut.48.1.116

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    • Abbreviations used in this paper

      HCV
      hepatitis C virus
      HBV
      hepatitis B virus
      RT-PCR
      reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction
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