Prevalence of GBV-C infection among dental personnel

Roy, K.M., Bagg, J. , Kennedy, C., Cameron, S., Simmonds, P., Lycett, C., Hunter, I. and Taylor, M. (2003) Prevalence of GBV-C infection among dental personnel. Journal of Medical Virology, 70(1), 150 -155. (doi: 10.1002/jmv.10365)

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Publisher's URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jmv.10365

Abstract

Healthcare workers who carry out exposure-prone procedures are theoretically at increased risk of acquiring blood-borne virus infections. GB virus C (GBV-C) is a recently described blood-borne virus that is related distantly to hepatitis C virus. The occupational risk of GBV-C infection to healthcare workers is unknown. This study collected detailed occupational and personal risk data in parallel with a blood specimen, to establish the prevalence and determinants of GBV-C infection among dental healthcare workers. The presence of GBV-C antibodies was detected using commercially available ELISA; GBV-C RNA was detected by nested PCR using primers from the conserved 5' noncoding region. The overall prevalence of GBV-C antibodies among the study population was 11.1% (98/880, 95% confidence interval [CI], 9.1-13.4%) and 4.6% were positive for GBV-C RNA (46/879, 95% CI, 2.5-5.1%), resulting in a cumulative prevalence of 15.7%. These figures are similar to those described in other populations. There was no significant difference in lifetime exposure to GBV-C between dentists (17.7%) and dental nurses/hygienists (14.3%). Significantly more dental nurses/hygienists aged 16-30 years had been exposed to GBV-C compared to dentists of the same age (?2 = 13.75; P < 0.001). Conversely, significantly more dentists 46 years or older had evidence of exposure to GBV-C compared to dental nurses/hygienists (?2 = 6.79; P = 0.009). The high prevalence of GBV-C infection did not seem to be related to past parenteral exposure, and the data suggest that sexual transmission, rather than occupational transmission, was a more important route for GBV-C infection among this population.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Roy, Dr Kirsty and Kennedy, Mrs Catherine and Bagg, Professor Jeremy
Authors: Roy, K.M., Bagg, J., Kennedy, C., Cameron, S., Simmonds, P., Lycett, C., Hunter, I., and Taylor, M.
Subjects:R Medicine > RK Dentistry
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences
College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing
College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing > Dental School
Journal Name:Journal of Medical Virology
ISSN:1096-9071

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