Abstract:
Hepatitis B infection is one of the world's major infectious diseases and health care workers (HCWs) have a high risk of occupational exposure to HBV. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted during March to October 2019, to detect the frequency of HBV serologically among health care workers in McNimir Hospital. One hundred (n=100) blood specimens were collected from each eligible participants and structured questionnaire was used to collect both demographic and clinical data from them. Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique was used to detect Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).
A total of one hundred health care workers (HCWs) in McNimir Hospital were included in this study, in which 38 (38%) were males and 62 (62%) were females, mostly were at age between 20-30 years (77%) and mostly were physicians (25%) and Lab. technologists (22%).
Among HCWS there were 2 (2%) positive for HBs Ag. There was 2 (2%) females were positive for HBs Ag and all males were negative. There was insignificant association between gender and positivity of HBs Ag.
According to age groups, there was one (1%) between 20-30 years and one (1%) in age range from 51 to 60 years were positive for HBs Ag and there was irrelevant association between age groups and HBs Ag positivity.
There was one (1%) HCW had accidental needle stick and one (1%) didn't expose to any of the possible risk factors were HBs Ag positive and there was meaningless association between sero-positivity of HBsAg and accidental needle stick injury, hemodialysis, previous surgical operation and blood transfusion.
There was 1(1%) nurse and 1 (1%) cleaning staffs were positive for HBsAg while all other HCWs were negative and there was no significant between occupation and HBs Ag positivity.
In conclusion the frequency of HBV infection among HCWs was low.
