Hepatitis B and C in doctors and dentists in Nigeria

We surveyed a random sample (n = 75) of doctors and dentists at UniversityCollege Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. They were offered anonymous testing forhepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAG),antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) and to hepatitis C virus(anti-HCV), by enzyme immunoassay. The results suggest a high prevalence ofhepatitis B virus (HBV) with a high potential of transmissibility, as wellas a high prevalence of HCV infection. The majority of the doctors anddentists use universal precaution for protection against viral hepatitis on< 50% of the occasions when they carry out procedures on their patients.Infection with HBV was associated with type of specialty (surgeons,dentists) and lack of HBV vaccination (p < 0.05). After logisticregression, these factors were independently associated with HBV infection(p < 0.05). Sixty (80%) had not received prior HBV vaccination.Unvaccinated personnel were more likely to be surgeons, dentists, < 37years of age, and have fewer years of professional activity (p < 0.05).After logistic regression, only fewer years of professional activityremained independently associated with lack of vaccination (p < 0.05).To reduce the occupational exposure of HBV, universal precautions must berigorously adhered to when the doctors and dentists carry out procedures ontheir patients, and all health-care workers should be vaccinated with HBVvaccine and the HCV vaccine, when it becomes available.