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Occupational Risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis B Virus, and Hepatitis C Virus Infections Among Funeral Service Practitioners in Maryland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Robyn R. M. Gershon ,
David Vlahov ,
Homayoon Farzadegan  and
Miriam J. Alter
David Vlahov
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
Homayoon Farzadegan
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
Miriam J. Alter
Affiliation:
Epidemiology Section, Hepatitis Branch, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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Abstract

Objective:

To estimate the risk of exposure and infection with bloodborne pathogens, a seroepidemiologic survey was conducted among funeral service practitioners (FSPs) in Maryland.

Method:

Of 262 members of the Maryland State Funeral Directors Association, 130 (49%) volunteered to participate in the study. In addition to a brief questionnaire, designed to assess both occupational and non-occupational risk factors for bloodborne pathogen infection, participants were screened for markers of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and past hepatitis B virus (HBV). Titers for antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) also were examined and compared with history of hepatitis B vaccination.

Results:

Seroprevalence for HIV, HBV, and HCV infection was 0.8%, 4.6%, and 0%, respectively. Nearly 19% of participants reported at least one bloodborne exposure in the past 6 months. The one HIV infection and all but two of the HBV infections were correlated with well-established non-occupational risk behaviors. Disposable gloves were worn by 96%, and eating, drinking, or smoking during embalming were infrequent. Sixty-one percent of FSPs reported having received one or more doses of hepatitis B vaccine at some time in the past. Of those who reported having received all three doses of vaccine, 67% had adequate titers to hepatitis B surface antibody, the marker of protection related to vaccination.

Conclusion:

Compared with prior studies of FSPs, this study found a low rate of occupational exposures and a high rate of hepatitis B vaccination, suggesting improved compliance with recommendations for preventing transmission of bloodborne pathogens in the workplace.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 16 , Issue 4 , April 1995 , pp. 194 - 197
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1995

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