Hepatitis and hepatitis B surface antigen in health-care personnel

ABSTRACT

The frequency of hepatitis, Hepatitis B surface antigen [HbsAg] and antibody [HbsAb] among health care personnel [HCP] was 'compared with that of matched controls with no exposure to blood or blood products. Nine of the 11 HbsAg positive HCP but none of the controls presented with classical acute viral hepatitis. Hepatomegaly was present in 6 HbsAg positive HCP presenting with acute hepatitis while, it was absent in the solitary HbsAg positive control. Hepatic enlargement was noted in 36 [9.7 percent] HbsAg negative HCP and 4 [5.30 percent] controls. Serum transaminases abnormalities without the presence of HbsAg or HbsAb were present in 61 [16.7 percent] HCP and in 9 controls [12.3 percent]. The frequency of HBs antigen in 383 HCP was 2.8 percent and in 76 controls 1.3 percent. Frequency of antibody was 27.5 percent in HCP and 38.1 percent in controls by the RIA method and by the CIEP method it was 1.5 percent in the former and 3.9 percent in the latter indicating that the general population is more likely to develop antibodies probably due to exposure to the Hepatitis B virus in small doses by the non-parentral route