Prevalence of hepatitis B serologic markers in community hospital personnel.

The seroprevalence of hepatitis B markers among predominantly high-risk staff members and personnel of 31 community hospitals located throughout the United States was 8.4 per cent (greater than or equal to 5 per cent in 25 hospitals and greater than or equal to 10 per cent in 13 hospitals). Only two hospitals had seroprevalence rates less than or equal to 3 per cent. The institutional seroprevalence ranged from 0 per cent to 16.7 per cent, with a median of 8.2 per cent. Although there are limitations to this survey, the results suggest that the well established increased risk of contracting HBV infection among certain groups of health-care workers in urban teaching medical centers may also hold true for personnel in similar occupational and professional categories in community hospitals.