Seroprevalence of hepatitis C infection among health care personnel in Beirut, Lebanon

Abstract

Background: Health care workers are at risk of contracting hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection more than the general population, and chronic HCV infection may be asymptomatic. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of HCV among health care workers at St Georges-Orthodox Hospital, the first study done for a major teaching hospital in Lebanon. Methods: Health care personnel at St Georges-Orthodox Hospital, Beirut, were offered anonymous testing for anti-HCV antibody. Seroprevalence rates of health care personnel were compared with the rates of blood donors screened during the same year. Results: Of the 502 persons screened, 13 (2.60%) initially tested either positive or doubtful-positive by the SM-HCV rapid test; 2 (0.4%) were confirmed positive by 2 commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits and reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction. This prevalence rate was comparable with the rate obtained for blood donors (n = 600) during the same period. Conclusion: The seroprevalence of HCV infection among health care workers at St Georges-Orthodox Hospital was similar to the rate observed in local blood donors, which suggests that the occupational risk of HCV infection was low. (AJIC Am J Infect Control 2001;29:20-3)