Hepatitis B virus seroprevalence and risk assessment among personnel of a governmental hospital in Bangkok.

At present, the risk for acquiring hepatitis B virus (HBV) among hospital personnel is high. A cross-sectional analytic study of 380 hospital personnel was conducted in a governmental hospital in Bangkok to investigate HBV sero-prevalence and to assess risk factors in order to develop the risk assessment form for screening the occupational risk of HBV among this group. The studied personnel who had no histories of HBV vaccination and jaundice before working in the hospital were included by voluntary participation. All studied personnel were interviewed by using a structured questionnaire consisted of risk exposure factors and some medical histories. Blood specimens were collected for determining HBV sero-markers (HBsAg, Anti-HBs, and Anti-HBc) by an enzyme immunoassay. The risk factors were analyzed by using Odds ratio (OR), chi2-test, and multiple logistic regression. The results revealed that 48.68% were positive for any HBV markers. The HBsAg positive rate was 3.42%, anti-HBs +/- anti-HBc was 43.16 and 2.11% were positive only anti-HBc. The significant risk factors from univariate analysis were: age over 30 years (OR=3.15, p<0.0001), marital status (OR=2.19, p=0.0002), working in risk ward (OR=2.89, p=0.0274), duration of working over 5 years, (OR=2.81, p<0.0001), a history of accident from working (OR=1.58, p=0.0354), and a history of needle stick (OR=1.83, p=0.0064). After multivariate analysis, the significant risk factors included age over 30 years (OR=2.99, p<0.0001), sex: male (OR=3.05, p=0.0020), working in risk ward (OR=2.81, p=0.0337), and a history of needle stick (OR=2.16, p=0.0030). The risk assessment form was developed by using risk scores. The validity was calculated by the Receiving Operating Curve. The sensitivity of this form was approximately 50% and the specificity was 80% when the cut-off score at risk > or = 5 was used.

Hepatitis C antibody prevalence and risk factors of some female sex workers in Thailand.

One high risk group for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is female sex workers (FSWs). A study of HCV antibody prevalence and group risk factors was conducted in 200 FSWs in Ratchaburi Province, Thailand, during June to December 1995. FSWs were interviewed and their blood specimens were collected for determining HCV antibody by second generation EIA (ABBOTT). After the laboratory results, the FSWs were divided into 2 groups, anti-HCV positive and anti-HCV negative. The variables obtained from interviews were analysed by X2-test and Odds Ratio. Prevalence of HCV antibody positives was 9.5%. It tended to be increased by the longer duration of working in the sex trade. The anti-HCV prevalence of FSWs working 9 years or more in the sex trade was significantly higher than that of FSWs working 4 years or less by about 3.5 times (23.08% vs 6.67%, p = 0.008). The anti-HCV positive FSWs had a higher percentage of anti-HIV positivity, but it was not of statistical significance (p = 0.078). The factors associated with high risk for HCV infection in this group were (a) Domicile (Northeast): OR = 3.07, (p = 0.0182), (b) Duration of working (> or = 4 years): OR = 3.13 (p = 0.0216), (c) Having a tattoo: OR = 4.12 (p = 0.0406), and (d) Having a history of STDs in the last 4 years: OR = 3.46 (p = 0.0165).

High hepatitis C seroprevalence in Thai intravenous drug abusers and qualitative risk analysis.

One of the high risk groups of hepatitis C virus infection is intravenous drug abusers (IVDAs). The study of HCV seroprevalence and some qualitative risk factors in this target group can be valuable for prevention of the infection. During June to October 1992, a cross-sectional study of 150 intravenous male drug abusers seeking medical treatment at Phranangkhlao and Rajavithi Hospitals was conducted. Blood specimens were collected for determining anti-HCV antibody by EIA. An in-depth interview was carried out searching for some qualitative risk factors in anti-HCV positive and negative IVDAs. It was found that 95.33% of studied IVDAs were positive for anti-HCV antibody. There was no significant difference between the prevalence of anti-HCV and their ages (p > 0.05). The antibody prevalence trended to be higher with the longer duration of drug use. The positive rate of IVDAs who had injected more than 8 years was significantly higher than that of IVDAs who had injected less than 2 years (100% and 85.71), p = 0.004. Alanine amino-transferase (ALT) levels and anti-HIV antibodies were determined. IVDAs with higher levels of anti-HCV had higher percentages of ALT abnormality and anti-HIV positive rates. Data from in-depth interview showed that the longer duration of imprisonment, tattoo/ear piercing, extramarital relations without using condoms, the longer duration of drug use and needle/syringe sharing were potential risk factors for HCV infection in this target group.

Microbiological quality of drinking water and using water of a Chao Phya River community, Bangkok.

Safe water is essential for good health of humans. The contamination of water with infected fecal material is common in areas with poor standards of hygiene and sanitation. The determination of microbiological quality of water is essential. Simple routine testing of the bacteriological quality of drinking water is designed to detect the presence of coliform bacteria and virological assessment is to detect the presence of enteric viruses, especially hepatitis A virus (HAV). Therefore, this study attempted to determine the HAV and coliform bacteria contamination in drinking water and using water of a Chao Phya River community, Bangkok where crowded living conditions increase the risk of water-related diseases. 95 samples of drinking water and 75 samples of used water in containers were collected with sterile technique for determining HAV antigen by ELISA and coliform contamination by the Most Probable Number Technique (MPN). The results revealed that HAV and coliform contamination rates of drinking water were 25.26% and 64.21%, respectively. The rain water had the highest contamination (60.00% and 80.00%). Tap water was 23.73% for HAV (14/59 samples) and 64.41% for coliforms (38/59 samples) whereas running water had the least contamination (2.94% for HAV and 5.88% for coliforms). The contamination rates of used water were 10.69% for HAV and 68.67% for coliforms.