Investigation of HBV, HCV, and HIV seropositivity in healthcare workers of reproductive age

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections are health problems that threaten human health. This study, it was aimed to investigate HBV, HCV, and HIV seropositivity in female healthcare workers of childbearing age in our hospital.
 Materials and Methods: 1224 women working in our hospital, who were of childbearing age, were included in the study. The HBsAg, Anti-HBc total, Anti-HBs, Anti-HCV, and anti-HIV results of the patients were analyzed using the hospital database.
 Results: Seven (0.5%) of reproductive-age female healthcare workers were positive for HBsAg. While anti-HBs positivity was detected in 1128 (93.6%) of 1224 healthcare workers, anti-HBs and anti-HBc were positive in 80 (6.53%) patients. Both anti-HBs and anti-HBc were negative in 16 (1.3%) subjects (neither vaccinated nor exposed to HBV).
 Conclusions: Healthcare workers are at high risk for viral hepatitis and other infectious viral diseases. The fact that the frequency of HBV, HCV, and HIV among healthcare professionals of reproductive age is quite low in our region shows that the training for healthcare professionals has been quite successful in recent years, both in our country and in our region.
 Due to the high contagiousness of viral hepatitis B in our country, not only healthcare professionals of reproductive age but all healthcare personnel should be meticulously vaccinated. It is very important to implement standard infection control programs for HBV, HCV, and HIV and to increase compliance with national and international programs.