Occupational risk of hepatitis A infection among health care providers in northeastern Poland.

BACKGROUND: Vaccinating health care workers against hepatitis A has been suggested, but it has not been clearly shown that this group is at increased risk for HAV infection. The objective of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of anti-HAV antibodies among health care workers, and to assess the risk factors associated with anti-HAV seropositivity.

MATERIAL/METHODS: Total anti-HAV antibodies in serum were determined among 252 health care workers from three hospital departments (internal medicine, infectious diseases and surgery) in Białystok, in northeastern Poland. The control group consisted of 250 age and sex-matched healthy individuals who are not health-care professionals.

RESULTS: Anti-HAV antibodies were found in 180 of the 252 health care workers (71.4%) and in 153 of the 250 healthy controls (61.2%, p<0. 05)). The difference in anti-HAV prevalence between health care workers and the control group occurred only in individuals up to 40 years of age (59.2% and 43.4% respectively, p<0. 05) while no difference could be seen in those older than 40 years (88.6% and 88.8% respectively). Among health care workers there was no association between anti-HAV seropositivity and sex, employment as a physician, nurse or ward attendant, or ward of employment. Health care workers older than 40 years were anti-HAV positive more frequently than younger (88.6 and 59.2% respectively, p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: In northeastern Poland. younger health care workers ((40 years) may be particularly prone to occupationally acquired hepatitis A infections.