Influence of country of origin on prevalence of hepatitis B markers among employees in a small suburban hospital.

Hepatitis risk in a small suburban hospital was evaluated by laboratory screening of all hospital employees for hepatitis immunologic markers. Excluding four U.S.-born subjects who had received hepatitis vaccination, the laboratory screening revealed 21% of those tested had some hepatitis B antigen or antibody. Positive markers were found in 46% of foreign-born compared to 10% of native-born (P less than 0.001). Foreign-born participants accounted for 68% of the positive marker cases while representing only 31% of the employee population. The country of origin appeared to have a statistically significant greater importance as a determinant of hepatitis B status than occupational area in this particular hospital setting.