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The Prevalence of Hepatitis B in Employees of Small, Rural Hospitals—Implications for Vaccine Administration

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

David B. Martin ,
Marie Jannausch  and
Laurence P. Skendzel
David B. Martin*
Affiliation:
Munson Medical Center, Traverse City, Michigan
Marie Jannausch
Affiliation:
Munson Medical Center, Traverse City, Michigan
Laurence P. Skendzel
Affiliation:
Munson Medical Center, Traverse City, Michigan
*
Munson Medical Center, Traverse City, MI 49684
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Abstract

The Centers for Disease Control Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has based recommendations for hepatitis B vaccine for hospital employees on studies done in large urban hospitals. Data on the prevalence of hepatitis B in employees of small hospitals have been lacking. We measured hepatitis B surface and core antibody in 422 employees of six small, rural hospitals who were exposed to blood. The overall prevalence among those “high-risk” employees was 5.5%. The highest prevalence was found in General Nursing, Intensive Care Nursing, Recovery Room, IV Therapy, Laboratory, and Respiratory Therapy, although differences were seen between hospitals. Results of such testing for individual hospitals may have a major impact on the cost-effectiveness of vaccination programs for their employees.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 7 , Issue 2 , February 1986 , pp. 64 - 66
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1986

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