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American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 126, No. 3: 500-505
Copyright © 1987 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health

research-article

HEPATITIS B INFECTIONS IN A CHRONIC HEMODIALYSIS UNIT IN A COUNTRY WHERE HEPATITIS B IS ENDEMIC: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY

GERALD M. FRASER1,, DRORA FRASER2, RUTH CHAZAN3, FANNY CHATTAH4 and MICHAEL R. QUASTEL4

1Department of Gastroenterology, Soroka Medical Center P.O. Box 151, Beer Sheva, 84101, Israel
2Epidemiology and Health Services Evaluation Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel
3Department of Nephrology, Soroka Medical Center Beer Sheva, 84101, Israel
4Department of Nuclear Medicine, Soroka Medical Center Beer Sheva, 84101, Israel

Reprint requests to Dr. Gerald M. Fraser

Fraser, G. M. (Dept. of Gastroenterology, Soroka Medical Center, Beer Sheva, 84101, Israel), D. Fraser, R. Chazan, F. Chattah, and M. R. Quastel. Hepatitis B infections in a chronic hemodialysis unit in a country where hepatitis B is endemic: a prospective study. Am J Epidemiol 1987;126:500–5.

Hepatitis B markers were determined in patients with chronic renal failure and in staff members prior to entry into the hemodialysis unit of a hospital in southern Israel, an area in which hepatitis B is endemic. Patients and staff who were negative for hepatitis B markers were followed for a mean of 26.7 and 29.2 months, respectively, between November 1975 and May 1984. New infections occurred in 25.9% of the patients and 17.3% of the staff; the difference was not statistically significant. Hepatitis B markers were found in 26% of the staff and 41% of the patients (p < 0.05) prior to their entry into the hemodialysis unit. Furthermore, in the patients, a relatively high rate of carriers was detected (7% compared with 2% in the general population), while no carriers were detected among the staff members. Within the staff group, nurses were at particularly high risk for new infections, accounting for seven of the nine (78%) events recorded. The high risk for the nursing staff is probably due to greater exposure to blood among nurses compared with other staff members.

hemodialysis; hepatitis B antibodies; hepatitis B surface antigens; kidney failure; chronic


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