PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS-C INFECTION IN HEALTH-CARE WORKERS AFFILIATEDWITH A LIVER-TRANSPLANT CENTER

The risk of hepatitis C to liver transplantation health care workers h as not been identified. We compared the occupational risk of hepatitis C in health care workers associated with liver transplantation with r isk of health care workers affiliated with the same institutions but n ot involved in transplantations. Health care workers were recruited fr om 2 transplant centers. Participation was voluntary; results were con fidential. An occupational and health history questionnaire was comple ted and blood was donated for testing, Health care workers were catego rized into 3 groups according to risk for hepatitis C infection: very high, high, and low risk. A total of 241 health care workers were recr uited from 2 transplant centers, Fifty-nine percent (142/241) were fem ale; mean age was 38.7 years. Health care workers included: 48.5% (117 /241) nurses, 24.9% (60/241) physicians, and 17% (42/241) laboratory p ersonnel, The mean number of years in their occupation was 13.5 years (range <1 year to 38 years). Twenty-four percent (57/241) were categor ized in a very high risk occupation for hepatitis C, 66% (158/241) in a high risk occupation, and 10.8% (26/241) in a low risk occupation. A total of 2.1% (5/241) of health care workers were reactive to hepatit is C by enzyme immunosorbent assay; three of these were positive by po lymerase chain reaction testing. Of the 3, none had a history of hepat itis or transfusion. However, 5.3% (3/57) of health care workers invol ved with liver transplantation were infected, as compared with 0% (0/1 84) who were not (P=0.013). We conclude that health care workers assoc iated with liver transplantation may be at a higher risk for hepatitis C when compared with health care workers not associated with transpla ntation.