ANTIBODIES AGAINST THE HEPATITIS-C VIRUS IN HOSPITAL PERSONNEL

BACKGROUND: The discovery of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) largely respo nsible for the non A non B hepatitis, and the antiHCV antibody allows epidemiologic data and risk factors of infection related to the same t o be known. The aim of the authors was to know the prevalence of the a ntiHCV in health care staff in relation with a group of extrahospitala ry workers. METHODS: A transversal seroepidemiologic study was carried out in physicians, nurses and auxiliaries with seniority of more than one year in the medical, surgical, emergency, and ICU departments and laboratories of the general hospital of reference (1200 beds). RESULT S: Of the 874 participants (93 % of the candidates) 19 (2 %) had HCV a ntibodies detected by ELISA; with positive RIBA II and positive LIA te st in 14 (1.6 %) of them. In 11 sera ARN of HVC was detected by PCR. O f 547 extrahospitalary workers of the control group, 2 (0.4 %) had pos itive markers against HCV (p < 0.05). The GPT of the seropositive indi viduals was normal in four and equal to or less than 70 U/I in six. Se ven cases (50 %) also had serologic data of contagion with HCV. In 10 (1.1 %) of the health care staff no risk factor other than hospitalary work was found. CONCLUSIONS: Working in departments attending HCV car riers represents an increase in risk which must be taken into account with regard to accidental exposure to fluids of patients admitted to t hese areas.