BACKGROUND: Employment as a child care provider has been suggested as an indication for hepatitis A virus (HAV) immunization; however, whether this occupational group is at increased risk of HAV infection is not well-defined. METHODS: We obtained sera samples for testing for antibodies to hepatitis A, B and C, cytomegalovirus, varicella and measles from a sample of child care providers in King County, WA, and administered a questionnaire to assess employment characteristics and other potential risk factors for infection. We also compared the anti-HAV seroprevalence among providers with that of subjects in the Third National Health and Nutrition Survey, representative of the US general population. RESULTS: Thirteen percent (48 of 360) of providers were anti-HAV-positive (46% (22 of 47) of foreign born vs. 8% (26 of 313) of US-born (P < 0.001)). In multivariate analysis anti-HAV seropositivity was associated with foreign birth, age, income and Hispanic ethnicity but was not associated with characteristics of employment. Seroprevalence among US-born providers tended to be lower than that among Third National Health and Nutrition Survey subjects of similar age, sex, race and income. Sixty-two percent of providers were seropositive to cytomegalovirus, which was associated with nonwhite race, changing diapers > or = 3 days/week while at work and having a child in the household. Antibody prevalence was 1.4% to hepatitis B core antigen, 0.6% to hepatitis C, 94% to measles and 98% to varicella. CONCLUSIONS: The anti-HAV prevalence among US-born providers was low, and seropositivity was not associated with employment characteristics, indicating that occupational exposure to HAV is uncommon under non-outbreak circumstances.
BACKGROUND: Employment as a child care provider has been suggested as an indication for hepatitis A virus (HAV) immunization; however, whether this occupational group is at increased risk of HAV infection is not well-defined. METHODS: We obtained sera samples for testing for antibodies to hepatitis A, B and C, cytomegalovirus, varicella and measles from a sample of child care providers in King County, WA, and administered a questionnaire to assess employment characteristics and other potential risk factors for infection. We also compared the anti-HAV seroprevalence among providers with that of subjects in the Third National Health and Nutrition Survey, representative of the US general population. RESULTS: Thirteen percent (48 of 360) of providers were anti-HAV-positive (46% (22 of 47) of foreign born vs. 8% (26 of 313) of US-born (P < 0.001)). In multivariate analysis anti-HAV seropositivity was associated with foreign birth, age, income and Hispanic ethnicity but was not associated with characteristics of employment. Seroprevalence among US-born providers tended to be lower than that among Third National Health and Nutrition Survey subjects of similar age, sex, race and income. Sixty-two percent of providers were seropositive to cytomegalovirus, which was associated with nonwhite race, changing diapers > or = 3 days/week while at work and having a child in the household. Antibody prevalence was 1.4% to hepatitis B core antigen, 0.6% to hepatitis C, 94% to measles and 98% to varicella. CONCLUSIONS: The anti-HAV prevalence among US-born providers was low, and seropositivity was not associated with employment characteristics, indicating that occupational exposure to HAV is uncommon under non-outbreak circumstances.
Authors: Serene A Joseph; Claire Béliveau; Cristin J Muecke; Elham Rahme; Julio C Soto; Gordon Flowerdew; Lynn Johnston; Donald Langille; Theresa W Gyorkos Journal: Paediatr Child Health Date: 2006-09 Impact factor: 2.253
Authors: Johanna Stranzinger; Agnessa Kozak; Benjamin Schilgen; Diana Paris; Thomas Nießen; Lutz Schmidt; Andreas Wille; Norbert L Wagner; Albert Nienhaus Journal: GMS Hyg Infect Control Date: 2016-04-21