The low risk of hepatitis B in rural hospitals. Results of a seroepidemiologic survey
Harris, J.R.; Finger, R.F.; Kobayashi, J.M.; Hadler, S.C.; Murphy, B.L.; Berkelman, R.L.; Bussell, K.E.
JAMA 252(23): 3270-3272
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0098-7484 PMID: 6512930 Document Number: 223313
To determine the risk of hepatitis B virus infection for rural hospital employees, we obtained serum and a completed questionnaire from each of 2,064 employees of 11 rural hospitals. Only 96 (4.7%) employees had hepatitis B virus markers. Increased marker prevalence was significantly associated with prior residence in a city with a population of greater than 100,000 (odds ratio, 2.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.6 to 5.2) and increasing blood contact (odds ratio, 1.6; confidence interval, 1.2 to 2.3); however, the association with blood contact was not significant when we limited analysis to the 836 employees who had never lived in a city. We conclude that the risk of hepatitis B virus infection for these rural hospital employees is low, probably because the incidence of hepatitis B in rural areas is low.