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Document ID (ISN)100607
CIS number 02-1941
ISSN - Serial title 1076-2752 - Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Year 2002
Convention or series no.
Author(s) Rischitelli G., McCauley L., Lambert W.E., Lasarev M., Mahoney E.
Title Hepatitis C in urban and rural public safety workers
Bibliographic information June 2002, Vol.44, No.6, p.568-573. 21 ref.
Abstract A sample of 719 Oregon public safety personnel (police officers, firefighters and corrections officers) was tested for hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody after completing a risk questionnaire. Seven of nine positive enzyme immunoassay tests (78%) were confirmed with recombinant immunoblot assay, yielding confirmed prevalence estimates of 1.2% among the 406 firefighters and emergency medical technicians, and 0.7% in 274 corrections personnel. No cases were observed in the 29 participating police officers. Self-reports of the number of workplace exposures to blood were not associated with HCV positivity, and the number of years of public safety employment seemed to be slightly less for HCV-positive subjects. Two of the seven (28.6%) HCV-positive individuals reported having at least one non-occupational risk factor (odds ratio, 4.3), suggesting the greater relative importance of non-occupational exposures.
Descriptors (primary) fire fighting; hepatitis; prison services; risk factors; police forces; emergency services
Descriptors (secondary) non-occupational factors; subjective assessment; blood; USA; frequency rates; hazard evaluation; questionnaire survey; immunology; violence; Oregon
Document type D - Periodical articles
Country / State or ProvinceUSA
Subject(s) Commerce, services, offices
Broad subject area(s) Biological hazards
Browse category(ies) Liver diseases
Fire fighting, police, prisons and the armed forces
Fires
Violence and terrorism