OCCUPATIONAL RISK OF HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS, HEPATITIS-B VIRUS,AND HEPATITIS-C VIRUS-INFECTIONS AMONG FUNERAL SERVICE PRACTITIONERS IN MARYLAND

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the risk of exposure and infection with bloodbo rne pathogens, a seroepidemiologic survey was conducted among funeral service practitioners (FSPs) in Maryland. METHOD: Of 262 members of th e Maryland State Funeral Directors Association, 130 (49%) volunteered to participate in the study. In addition to a brief questionnaire, des igned to assess both occupational and non-occupational risk factors fo r bloodborne pathogen infection, participants were screened for marker s of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and past hepatitis B virus (HBV). Titers for antibodies to hepatitis B sur face antigen (anti-HBs) also were examined and compared with history o f hepatitis B vaccination. RESULTS: Seroprevalence for HIV, HBV, and H CV infection was 0.8%, 4.6%, and 0%, respectively. Nearly 19% of parti cipants reported at least one bloodborne exposure in the past 6 months . The one HIV infection and all but two of the HBV infections were cor related with well-established non-occupational risk behaviors. Disposa ble gloves were worn by 96%, and eating, drinking, or smoking during e mbalming were-infrequent. Sixty-one percent of FSPs reported having re ceived one or more doses of hepatitis B vaccine at some time in the pa st. Of those who reported having received all three doses of vaccine, 67% had adequate titers to hepatitis B surface antibody, the marker of protection related to vaccination. CONCLUSION: Compared with prior st udies of FSPs, this study found a low rate of occupational exposures a nd a high rate of hepatitis B vaccination, suggesting improved complia nce with recommendations for preventing transmission of bloodborne pat hogens in the workplace.