Abstract

RAMOS V, Sara et al. Seroprevalencia de Hepatitis C en el personal asistencial del Hospital regional de Ayacucho y la Microrred de Salud Huamanga. Ayacucho, Perú 2005. Rev. perú. med. exp. salud publica [online]. 2006, vol.23, n.2, pp.132-136. ISSN 1726-4634.

We performed an epidemiological survey to healthcare personnel in Ayacucho Regional Hospital and healthcare centers (Huamanga Micro-Network) with respect to work exposure to hepatitis C virus (VHC), and we performed an ELISA test in sera in order to detect antibodies against the aforementioned virus. 320 of 518 healthcare workers participated, representing 44,1% (165/354) of hospital healthcare workers and 100% (164) of the Micro-Network health centers personnel. No sample was found to be positive, but 211 (65,9%) healthcare workers recognized having at least one working accident (69,2% at the hospital and 62,8% in the Micro-Network); 182 of the accidents (56,9%) involved percutaneous exposure; and 55,3% of the exposures were related to blood. As a conclusion, we did not find hepatitis C virus infection in healthcare workers; however, there is a high risk for infection because of having so many working accidents; so there is a need for implementing a labor risk prevention and management program.

Keywords : Hepatitis C; Health personnel; Health care worker; Epidemiology; Occupational risks.

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