We carried out a seroepidemiologic study to evaluate the transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) from students to staff in a day school for mentally retarded students. Of 505 students tested, 37 (7.3 per cent) had HBsAg; 74 per cent of HBsAg-positive sera tested were HBeAg-positive. Of 162 staff members tested, 21 (13.0 per cent) were HBV marker positive and two (1.2 per cent) had HBsAg; specialized educators and teachers showed the highest HBV marker prevalence (22.2 per cent and 21.3 per cent, respectively). The prevalence of HBV markers among staff was independently associated with classroom contact with a HBsAg-positive student, duration of employment at the school, and previous work with mentally retarded individuals. The incidence of HBV infection among teaching staff with regular classroom contact, estimated by logistic regression analysis, was 2.6 per cent per year. This observation indicates that teaching staff in schools for mentally retarded students with direct classroom contact may carry an occupational risk of HBV infection.
Notes
Cites: JAMA. 1985 Dec 13;254(22):3190-54068155
Cites: Am J Epidemiol. 1984 Nov;120(5):684-936496449
Cites: Am J Epidemiol. 1971 Dec;94(6):585-954257304
Cites: JAMA. 1974 Nov 4;230(5):723-44137696
Cites: Am J Ment Defic. 1976 Jan;80(4):369-75129004
Cites: Can Med Assoc J. 1976 Sep 4;115(5):439-40953919
Cites: Br Med J. 1978 May 13;1(6122):1279-80647231
Cites: Am J Public Health. 1980 Jul;70(7):709-117386705
Cites: Am J Public Health. 1980 Jul;70(7):712-67386706
Cites: J Pediatr. 1980 Nov;97(5):770-27431167
Cites: Am J Clin Pathol. 1980 Oct;74(4 Suppl):565-87435449