Hepatitis C virus among health care workers.

The purpose of our study was to describe the results of a seroprevalence survey for HCV antibody among health care workers at our center. 961 specimens were consecutively obtained under code and screened for anti-HCV by the second generation immunoblot assay (RIBA 2) and hepatitis B core antibody by CORAB test. After serum samples were tested, we reviewed demographic data and categorized four groups: intravenous drug abusers (IVDAs), blood recipients, health care workers and apparently healthy subjects. 51/97 (52.6%) IVDAs, 8/77 (10.4%) transfusion recipients, 12/472 (2.5%) health care workers and 8/285 (2.8%) apparently healthy subjects were anti-HCV positive. Furthermore dividing health care personnel by type of profession we found that surgeons have a higher seroprevalence (4.3%) compared to other professions. Therefore severe preventive standards are required for health care workers.

Hepatitis C virus infection in family members of chronic carriers.

To determine the transmission of hepatitis C in family members of chronic carriers we study the results of a HCV seroprevalence among spouses and children living together with patients affected by HCV related chronic liver disease. Seroprevalence of HCV antibodies and mean cohabitation time was determined among 54 index patients, their 54 spouses and 99 children. Twelve spouses (22.2%) and no children were anti-HCV positive, with an overall seroprevalence of 7.8%. Couples with both anti-HCV positive partners had a mean cohabitation time (31.8 +/- 10.4 years) higher compared to couples with only one anti-HCV positive partner (24.6 +/- 9.9 years) and children (19.1 +/- 10.2 years). Sexual transmission of HCV infection cannot be excluded and its prevalence is strongly associated to the length of cohabitation time.