Hepatitis B in a medical center

Abstract

The Employee Health Service of Duke University has been evaluating all employees with known blood product exposures through a standardized protocol since January 1977. All known cases of hepatitis B among employees were also evaluated. During the 40-month period of this report, 1,235 substantiated blood product or body fluid exposures occurred. The blood involved in 155 of the exposures was positive for HBsAg. Of the 155 employees involved in these exposures, 101 were found to be nonimmune to hepatitis B and were followed for at least nine months after exposure. Three (3.0%) developed clinical hepatitis B. An additional 24 employees also developed hepatitis B during this 40-month period, a cumulative incidence of 106.0 per 100,000 employee years. Hepatitis B appears to be a significant occupational hazard for hospital personnel in a tertiary medical center.