文摘
Little is known about the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among healthcare workers (HCW) in Egypt, where the highest worldwide prevalence of HCV exists. The prevalence of HCV, hepatitis B virus and Schistosoma mansoni antibodies was examined in 842 HCWs at the National Liver Institute in the Nile Delta, where >85 % of patients are HCV antibody-positive. The mean age of HCWs was 31.5 years and they reported an average of 0.6 ¡À 1.2 needlesticks/HCW/year. The prevalence of anti-HCV, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and co-infection was 16.6 % , 1.5 % and 0.2 % , respectively. HCV-RNA was present in 72.1 % of anti-HCV-positive HCWs, and all but one subject were infected with HCV genotype 4. Schistosoma mansoni antibodies were present in 35.1 % . The anti-HCV rate increased sharply with age and employment duration, but not among those with needlestick history. After adjusting for other risk factors, the anti-HCV rate was higher among older HCWs [P < 0.001; risk ratio (RR) = 1.086, 95 % CI 1.063-1.11], males (P = 0.002; RR = 1.911, 95 % CI 1.266-2.885) and those with rural residence (P < 0.001; RR = 2.876, 95 % CI 1.830-4.52). Occupation (P = 0.133), duration of employment (P = 0.272) or schistosomal antibody positivity (P = 0.152) were not significant risk factors for anti-HCV positivity. In conclusion, although one in six HCWs had been infected with HCV, the infections were more likely to be community-acquired and not occupationally related.
