Background The status of hepatitis A virus (HAV) among Tagln

Background The status of hepatitis A virus (HAV) among Tagln health care workers has not been studied yet in Iran. and males (70%) (P = 0.89 95 CI. 0.533-2.083). The lowest sero-prevalence rate was observed in the 20-29 12 months age group (57.8%). Seropositivity for HAV significantly increased with age (P < 0.000 95 CI. 1.626-3.262) 77.4% for 30-39 years AMD 3465 Hexahydrobromide and 85.3% for more than 40 years. The seropositivity rate also increased significantly in accordance with the number of operating years (P = 0.012 95 1.098 110 out of 353 (31.2%) instances were seronegative among those with less than 5 years of working time. An obvious decrease of seronegative rate of HAV was seen AMD 3465 Hexahydrobromide in those with 5-10 years (27%) and more than 10 years (14.3%) of working time. Conclusions These findings indicate relatively high prevalence rate of HA illness among nurses and paramedical staff at this hospital. However 30 of the health workers have been seronegative and are still at risk of HA illness development. Considering that the disease offers more severe program as age raises improvement of standard hygiene and prevention strategies are recommended. Furthermore vaccination may play a significant part in the occupational health policy to protect the susceptible health care workers population in the future. Keywords: Hepatitis A computer virus Nurses; Allied Health AMD 3465 Hexahydrobromide Staff; HIV Seroprevalence 1 Background Hepatitis A computer virus (HAV) is an enteric transmitted illness and causes acute and self-limited viral hepatitis in the world. About 1.5 million clinical cases of Hepatitis A happen per year but the infection rate is probably higher (1). Epidemiological studies uncover that distribution and the rate of HAV illness is related to hygienic and sanitary conditions. Clinical demonstration of HAV illness is definitely highly age dependent. Although mortality rate is relatively low in children but it has a substantial fatality rate among adult populace leading to severe disease with possible hospitalization long absence from work for a number of weeks and acute fulminant HA illness development. The increasing severity of the HAV illness by age is definitely a major problem. (1 2 In a study from Canada 54 of HAV hospitalizations occurred in 20-39 year-olds adults and the overall case fatality percentage among hospitalized individuals was 1.4% which ranged from 0.4% in those < 40 years old to 12.5% in those ≥ 60 years (3). On the other hand during the last few decades a substantial improvement in the standard of living and general health actually in rural areas has been achieved in some developing countries. Improvement of hygienic and sanitary status changed the pace of HAV illness (4-6). Several studies indicated that sero-prevalence rate of HAV illness declined in many hyper-endemic countries within the past two decades where their economic status improved. This transition to lower rates of illness is also observed in Iran which resulted significantly to a reduction of HAV illness (7 8 For instance a study which was performed in 1-30 years old population inside a less developed area of Mazandaran province north of Iran showed that the AMD 3465 Hexahydrobromide overall seropositivity rate of the illness was 19.2%. In the second option study 31.6% of young adult (18-30 years) were susceptible to the HAV infection (4). By increasing the age of general populace the susceptibility risk improved. Based on available knowledge nosocomial transmissions of HA to healthcare workers are low. It is a rare mode because most individuals with HA are hospitalized after onset of jaundice; however transmission of illness is not uncommon (9). The main source of transmission of illness to health care workers is definitely undiagnosed HA individuals hospitalized for evaluation of fever. In this situation modes of nosocomial HAV transmission is in association with fecal incontinence of the individuals invasive procedures food borne illness and infusion of HAV-contaminated blood products (9 10 Furthermore sero-prevalence rates of HAV illness among healthcare workers assorted from 4% to 90% relating to countries AMD 3465 Hexahydrobromide and occupations. In Iran the 1st sero-prevalence study on HAV illness among healthcare.